


Identities: Afterthoughts

by shinobipopcorn



Series: Identities [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Age Difference, Awkwardness, Childhood Friends, Disability, F/M, Family, Interquel, Interracial Relationship, Marriage Proposal, Married Couple, Nosebleed, Overprotective Parent, Pregnancy, Recollections of Abuse, Scars, Sequel, Time Skips, Weddings, Young Love, father-daughter bonding, mother-daughter bonding, oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-02-17 18:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 28,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2318696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinobipopcorn/pseuds/shinobipopcorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of oneshots based on the characters and plot from Identities, set at various points throughout the story. Summaries for each chapter inside. **CHAPTERS REARRANGED INTO CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER**</p><p>Main story summary: Legends say the Hero will be a boy blessed with the gift of courage. Because of this prophecy, the little girl named Link was raised and lives as a boy. When Twilight enveloped Hyrule she took up the sword, but fell in the battle against the evil king Ganondorf. But instead of killing her, he spares her life...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Honor and Obligation

**Author's Note:**

> As in Identities, the Gerudo language is represented by Japanese because I am lazy. :3
> 
> Note: I went through and put the oneshots in chronological order, as a test. I think this might flow a little better. I'm still debating integrating these into the main story, but this is a start.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Submission for ganlink week. Prompt is "honor and obligation". I probably took it in the wrong direction, but oh well.
> 
> Takes place between chapters 2 and 3 of the original story

" _You have an obligation to save Hyrule, Link. This mark on your hand says that you are special. You aren't like Ilia or the other little girls. You have to play the part of a boy in order to protect Hyrule."_

_"...But why can't I be a girl?"_

* * *

Link snapped the reigns in her hands and dug her heels into Epona's side, urging the mare forward. The Princess pulled back and let fly another arrow, just barely missing Ganondorf's shoulder, but managed to connect when he came back around. Link took the opening and lunged forward, quickly jumping up into a spin attack.

Ganondorf feigned injury and allowed himself to be knocked off his black steed Vengeance, using the opportunity to fire a magical blast at Link. It connected just as Link finished her spin, and threw her from Epona. Zelda had enough time to grab the reigns before she herself was thrown off, but did not have time to come back around as a bright orange barrier sprang up around the Gerudo and Hero.

Ganondorf approached and thrust his fist into Link's jaw. Pain screaming in her head and blood running down her chin, she fell to the ground. The dark king went on about vessels and fragility, then laughed as Link tried throwing dirt in his eyes. She crawled to her sword, when suddenly she was smacked into the ground. She finally cried when three hundred pounds came crashing down on her wrist. A flimsy punch at the demon king was all she could muster, before her ribs were cracked in retaliation. The last thing she saw was a look of confusion from the dark king as her world went black.

* * *

Ganondorf squinted his eyes at the fallen hero. He expected the reaction from the boy when he called him womanly. But now that he had a good look at the green clad warrior, he noticed something. The boy was small and pale. A slender chin with chubby cheeks, thin sidelocks, no trace of stubble...

The Gerudo sat down beside Link and lifted the hand he had just crushed. The boy's arm felt like it had no weight to it, even with the heavy leather gauntlets. "You really are fragile, aren't you Hero? I wonder, have you even eaten along your journey? Your bones weigh nothing, your lips are thin, and your hair is brittle..."

A slight moan came from the hero as Ganondorf dropped Link's hand, and it made his eyes light up. "Oh, you precious little thing... Now it all makes sense. But why hide it? Are your kinsmen that petty?"

Ganondorf picked up Link and walked back toward the castle. "You remind me of a fairy tale... In a time when our people were suffering, a young king took the throne. He spent no wealth on himself, using every ounce of his power to help our people build relationships and capital. He was the best king we ever had, he even came close to peace with the Hylians. The only pleasure he took for himself was a weekly trip to the Great Fairy's spring on the edge of the province.

"It was on one of these trips that the good king lost his life. A witch who had tried to seduce the king followed him one day, and discovered that he was actually a young girl. Out of rage, the witch strangled the poor girl. The young girl gave up her identity for the good of the people, only to have her life taken by someone hungry for power."

Ganondorf stopped walking and looked down at Link. "I suppose I resemble the witch in that story, don't I?" With a sigh, he continued into the castle. He marched up the stairs toward the bedchambers, encountering his general at the end of the hall. "Aveil, fetch me some clean linens and a number of cottons. Splints as well. ...You better bring a few sleeping gowns, too."

"Gown? Is that a woman? The Hylians put their hopes in a female? Ironic."

"Yes, it is terribly ironic. They do not know who their hero really is, and for the mean time, neither do you."

Aveil bowed to her master in understanding, and fetched the necessary supplies. She then stood back and watched the king pamper the injured girl, even going so far as to comb her hair and wash her face. He whispered something to her and kissed her on the forehead, then sat back and watched her sleep.

"...I feel an obligation to help her."

"My Lord?"

Ganondorf steepled his hands. "I can't explain it. I took Hyrule in order to improve it, I killed when I needed to and didn't look back. But with her, I feel as if there is so much more in her future besides dying in battle. Like I felt when I pulled the wolf from the sewer. She was so determined to save her friend, she took hits from her own forces. Such honor and loyalty..."

"Perhaps, My Lord, you two have that in common." Aveil smiled as she cleared away Link's bloody clothes. "I can honestly say in all the years I've known you, you've never let your goals impede your sense of honor. The hero's survival is a testament to that."

"So it is..." Ganondorf stood and made for the door. "Perhaps I should pay my other guest a visit. I imagine that our hero will be resting for quite some time, and the sooner I close that damned portal, the better."


	2. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place between chapter 6 and chapter 7.
> 
> Link feels like a bird in a cage, and longs to be free...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said in the main story that Ganondorf had yet to sincerely kiss Link, but I really, really, REALLY wanted to write this ficlet. So pretend that whichever one you want is "canon". I say both are. Why not. It's not exactly proofed as well as I would like (I usually let things "bake" a day before posting), but I've kept you guys hanging long enough. ;)

Link rolled around in bed, every so often flexing the hand that had just recently come out of its splint. A total of two months had passed since she lost to the King of Evil, and while she had made great progress physically, her mental recovery had stalled. Sure, Ganondorf had solved an eighteen year problem in two weeks by getting her to speak again. But she hadn't wanted to leave her bed since the ordeal began.

Just as she had withdrawn into her blanket, she heard those familiar footsteps approaching. _Ugh, what is it this time?_ As he always did, Ganondorf knocked but didn't wait for an answer before strolling in. He laughed at the childish blanket lump on the bed.

"There are times when I forget that you are but a maid. Perhaps what I've brought you is too sultry, then."

Link poked her head out of the blanket, enough to see Ganondorf holding a dark green gown. Even she had to admit, it was gorgeous. The sleeves fanned out from the elbows like lily bells. She grimaced when she saw how low the neckline was, and the dress would certainly drag on the floor, but it held a womanly shape without the restriction of a corset. Part of her liked it.

"We'll be taking a trip in the next few days, and you'll be my escort. It's an important excursion, so you'll be wearing this." Link snorted at the order, causing Ganondorf to scowl. "Is it so degrading to enjoy the reprieve I'm granting you? Would you rather I save myself the trouble and rip the Golden Power from your pretty little corpse?"

Ganondorf's hand reflexively gripped his sword, scaring Link enough that she jumped back to protect herself. But she slid off the bed, falling on her wrist and yelping in pain. Ganondorf dropped the dress and ran over to her, picking her up and setting her back on the bed.

"Such a jumpy little elfling you are. Give me your hand." He felt the wrist, and satisfied that no damage was done, smoothed out her hair. "We'll be meeting with the ruler of Labyrnna. I want to reach a peace accord with her, and your presence could smooth things out. But you can't appear before her in a blood soaked tunic, and we have your promise to consider."

"…live as a woman."

"That's right. Aveil will be in to help you dress, after we eat. But first, you have something to take care of, don't you?"

Link sighed. This was another part of her "training". Every morning when Ganondorf came to see her, he asked her to read a part of that faerie tale book aloud. Today's chapter just happened to be about a girl who falls in love with the beast who captured her. _Like that would ever happen…_

"D'land of Hyrule once helda treasure, able to grantany wish to da one who claimed it. But as with all treasures, it came witha steep price. None who hadever chased it returned da same; warriors b'came cowards, da greedy b'came poor. It was said dat da treasure hada life of its own, a nessence, and thatit en-chanted men who came too close ta its hiding place." Link stopped after the first paragraph, when she realized Ganondorf wasn't looking at the page, but at her.

"Very good. You've really improved. But as adorable as it is, we really need to fix your pronunciation. **The** treasure was able to grant **the** wish of whoever claimed it. Just like **the** elfling was able **to** enchant **the** demon king into treating her wounds and lavishing her with affection."

"…What?"

"Nothing. Keep reading."

* * *

Ganondorf led Link out to the castle stable. "I hope you remember how to ride. Of course, I wouldn't mind you riding in my lap..." Link rolled her eyes and walked over to the horse he picked, but needed his assistance mounting it. _This damned skirt..._

They proceeded toward the Labrynna border, east of Death Mountain. Ganondorf led the way, but kept his horse Vengeance as close to Link as possible.

_What's he think I'm going to do, run away?_

Link's eyes widened at her thought. _Run away..._ She knew the land rather well and there were a multitude of places to hide on the way towards Labrynna, so this was her best bet to escape captivity. Ganondorf couldn't know the land as well as she did, after all he was supposed to have been imprisoned for an era and things change through time.

It was mid morning now, so any escape would be futile. But surely it would be dark on the return...

* * *

Link grumbled. The meeting with Queen Ambi hadn't taken but an hour, the woman was so taken with Ganondorf that she agreed to all his propositions. So it was only late afternoon when they returned toward the castle. But this was her best chance, she had to take it.

She waited until Ganondorf drifted a little ahead of her, before lurching her horse to the left and digging her heels into its side as hard as she could (which wasn't very hard given the flimsy shoes she had to wear). The horse whined but took off, catching Ganondorf off guard.

Link didn't waste time checking to see if he was tailing her- she knew enough that he was. This castle horse wasn't as swift as Epona but it followed commands well, jumping over rocks and smoothly taking gaps. She weaved through the fields and was nearing the edge of Eldin Province, when she heard a roar from her side.

Ganondorf appeared, having anticipated her destination and taken a shortcut. He urged Vengeance up alongside Link and dove at her, knocking her from the horse and sending them both crashing to the ground. They rolled a bit before he came to rest on top of her.

"You..." Link put up a struggle but he grabbed her wrists, restraining her. His chest heaved, and emotion flared on his face. "If you wanted a race, you only had to ask."

Link gasped from the dismount, unable to steady her breathing. Ganondorf had a strong grip on her wrists, and pressure on the recently healed bones caused her to cringe. His full weight bore down on her, and while she normally didn't think of herself as fragile, she felt like a china doll trapped beneath a rock. The look on his face startled her most though. She expected anger, but this wasn't quite it. He was almost... thrilled.

"Heh, what, are you afraid of something? Retaliation?" Ganondorf kept a hold of her wrists in one hand, and used the other to cup her cheek. "Truth be told, I expect no less from the bearer of Courage." Without giving Link enough time to react, he leaned down and laid a firm kiss at the base of her neck.

Link mewled as the Gerudo bit and sucked at her collarbone. There were times during her vocal training that he would caress her ears or hold her on his lap, but this was the first he had done something so intimate. She wiggled as he made his way around her neck, and let out a heavy sigh once he finally let go.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" he smirked, sitting back up and pulling her into his lap. "I will say, though, I'm disappointed you tried to go back on your promise. You said you would obey me."

_I did...?_

"Either way, what were you trying to gain from this? You know I could have easily tracked you down." Ganondorf whistled at Vengeance, who came and laid down behind them. He then leaned back against the horse with Link in his lap. "What did you want that I haven't been providing to you?"

"...to see home again..." Link mumbled, defeated. She had been so close, her failure hurt so much more. The setting sun dropped the temperature, and she shivered, instinctively leaning into Ganondorf for warmth. He removed his cape and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"If you miss your home that much, I will allow your friends to visit you in Castle Town. But you can not go back to Ordon- your home is the castle now and I will have you stay with me. You made a deal, you mustn't go back on your word."

Link kept silent, dejected. That's right, she had promised to accept her defeat. Ganondorf had done his part by treating the Hylians fairly and had even made peace with other countries. All Link had cared about was herself. She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned against him, wanting desperately to disappear. The slightest of tears came to her eyes, and within minutes exhaustion caught up with her.

* * *

When Link opened her eyes, she was back in Hyrule Castle. But instead of the plain wall she usually saw, there were thick black curtains blocking her view. She was in an unfamiliar bed, but it only took her a second to realize whose it was. Ganondorf was next to her, facing the edge. There was enough room for two people between them, but it didn't calm her anxiety.

"Your concerns are unwarranted Hero, I did not dishonor you." Ganondorf rolled over to face her, reading the confusion on her face. "You looked troubled in your sleep, and didn't want left alone."

"Mad?"

"No, I'm not mad at you. I've treated you like a bird in a cage, no wonder you wanted to fly away. I want to make you into a formidable warrior, yet at the same time I try to clip your wings." Ganondorf got out of bed and opened the curtains, letting Link see that it was afternoon. "Stay in bed for the rest of the day, I'm sure tackling you from that horse has left you rather sore. I left some stationery on the nightstand there, use it to summon your friends and I'll allow you to meet them in town unsupervised. I'll even let you wear boyish clothing."

Link couldn't help smiling, and sat up to draft her letter. Ganondorf moved to leave, before stopping in the doorway.

"One thing, though."

She turned back to him, and watched as he pointed to her neck.

"Keep **that** uncovered."

Link cocked her head in confusion, and grabbed the hand mirror off the nightstand. She gasped and her cheeks flushed when she saw what he meant- there was a large, purple love bite at the base of her neck.

Ganondorf reacted with a hearty laugh. "After all, I have to let people know that such a beauty has already been claimed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh, sorry for being a pathetic romantic, but I really wanted Ganny to show off a little. He really strikes me as the type that would chomp all over his lovers, especially when he has that wild hair. *swoon* Anyway, the story Link is reading is actually the first paragraph of my Zelda/Ganondorf Beauty and the Beast fic.


	3. Spirited and Idle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for ganlink week, prompt is "spirited and idle". Takes place after chapter 15 in the original story.

"I want to go home."

Ganondorf sat in bed, reading his strategy report. The love of his life was curled across his lap, tracing circles around his navel, while his free hand massaged her scalp. He raised an eyebrow at the little outburst. "But you are home, love."

Link fidgeted, wiggling the toes of her recently broken leg. "Yeah, but... um..."

"I know what you mean, pumpkin," Ganondorf chuckled, setting down the book. "But you can't even walk to the bathroom on your own yet. Ordon is out of the question."

"But I-"

"No buts. You were stabbed, thrown around like a ragdoll, your leg was shattered, and you were strangled. You are staying in bed for the foreseeable future."

Dejected, Link rolled off his lap onto the other side of the bed. She missed laying in the grass of the ranch, watching the children play from her high window, and most definitely chasing cats barefoot through the village. She sighed in disappointment, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't be sad, you'll see home soon, I promise."

* * *

Link sat in bed and stared at the wall. "This is nuts." She could hear Kona's booming voice from her training session in the courtyard and desperately wanted to watch, but the king wouldn't budge. He was currently en route to Gerudo Valley with Aveil for some kind of Spirit ceremony, and wouldn't be back until nightfall. That meant she stayed in bed.

"So what if I can't walk to the bathroom myself, maybe it's because you won't let me!" she huffed, shoving Ganondorf's pillow off the bed onto the floor. She then decided to hell with recovery, she was going to march herself down to that courtyard.

Link shimmied to the edge of the bed, and poked her feet out from the blanket. She used the bedpost to hold herself steady as she put weight on her feet. _Okay, standing. Not so bad..._

She let go of the post and took a step forward, but collapsed as soon as she bore down on the freshly healed leg.

_SHIT! Ugh, Midna would be laughing at me, I know it. "Come on, get up, dumb doggie! You went through much worse, Argorok knocked you out cold for an entire day in that chicken-boob-creature city!"_ Link laughed and crawled to the door, using it to pull herself up. Standing once more, she pulled it open.

Ganondorf stood with his arms crossed on the other side.

"!!!"

"Little baby never learns, does she?" With a smirk and a flick of his hand, Ganondorf lifted Link in the air and floated her toward the bed. "I had a feeling you would try to get up while I was away."

"Nononononono put me DOWN!" He plopped her down onto the bed at her request, then came over and lifted her chin. Pouting, Link turned away. "No kisses for you. You tricked me."

"I simply decided to postpone my trip to the Valley, in favor of a new destination. I came to tell you but found you trying to escape."

"I am NOT your prisoner! I don't care if you're the king of Gerudos or of Hyrule or of the world! I won't let you boss me around!!" Link shoved Ganondorf away and buried her face in the blankets. "I just want to go home."

A sudden disorientation came over Link, and she grabbed her head. When the feeling passed, Link lifted her head and found a picture of a goat hanging directly in front of her. Beside it was one of Ilia with Epona. The frames were a little dusty, but she recognized them. She was in her treehouse in Ordon Village.

"I should warn you, it's not a good idea to go off on an adventure and leave a pot of soup on the fire." Ganondorf laughed as Link sat up and bonked him on the shoulder. "Whenever did I say that you were my prisoner? You've given your life to defend Hyrule, now I'm just asking that you devote a little time to yourself. Stay in bed, let the rest of us defend the realm. There's no harm in being idle, even for one as spirited as yourself."

Link smiled, but did her best to hide it. "Humph. But did you really have to transport me like that? I feel so lightheaded."

"To be honest, I wanted to get you in bed as soon as possible, so this seemed the best way..." Ganondorf winked and brought their lips together, while gently laying Link back down. "I've never done it in a tree before..."

"Weren't you just saying something about being idle?"

"You know what they say about 'idle hands'..."


	4. Augh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set Between Epilogue and The Flu
> 
> Link had a rough night. A certain Gerudo king kept her up late. Then Ilia came to visit bright and early. Now that same Gerudo king wants her to wear a fancy Gerudo dress. And he still won't tell her what this ceremony coming up in the afternoon is for!

"Pumpkin, come out here. I have something to show you."

"What is it?" A very sleepy Link stumbled into Ganondorf's office. Thanks to a certain someone's _affection_ she was up most of the night, and then an unexpected visit from Ilia kept her from sleeping in.

Ganondorf motioned to a velvet box on his desk. "Open it." Link padded over and found a modified Gerudo style outfit inside. "I was wondering if you would like to wear this for the ceremony today?"

It was a red and blue patterned white bandeau, with a billowing satin skirt and thin clear sandals. Added just for Link was a celadon charmeuse jacket, to protect her fair skin and add a bit of modesty. She was very self conscious of her injuries and didn't like other people seeing them, so Ganondorf had it specially woven to accentuate her figure but hide the scars.

Link found it pretty, but it wasn't her style. "You still haven't told me what this ceremony is for, and now you want me to wear a Gerudo outfit? One for the priestesses no less?"

Ilia and Aveil entered the room carrying snack trays and drinks, walking in on the conversation. Aveil noticed the outfit from the corner of her eye, and spoke up. "Oh, My Lady, that outfit would look so cute on you. You have to wear it!"

"Why?" Link pouted, but then noticed a slight look of disappointment on Ganondorf's face. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed it, and the king himself wasn't aware he was doing it. It made Link's chest ache. "Oh, well all right. As long as I can keep the jacket on."

Ganondorf smiled and kissed Link's cheek in gratitude. "I thought you would look so wonderful marking the one year anniversary of my ascension in a Gerudo dress. But more importantly, this is the day I met you, the day I realized that you would become the most important thing in my life." The other two girls, aware of what was really going on, winked at each other, then set up breakfast just as Kona came in beaming as bright as a torch.

"Hey, is everything ready for the ceremony?"

"Not. Yet." Ganondorf growled through his teeth, giving Kona a glare that would freeze lava. She took the hint.

" _Sumanai_ , I just thought things were go already. I'll, um, just go make sure the stage is set."

Kona dashed out of the room, leaving Link confused. But she let it go as Ilia sat beside her and curled a finger through her messy hair. "Link, do you want me to fix your hair after breakfast? I know a few styles that will look really cute with that dress."

"Sure, I know how much you like playing with my hair."

"Yeah, especially now that it's longer." The Ordonians laughed, while Ganondorf excused himself and Aveil to get prepared.

Later, Link stood on the viewing platform above the training grounds, watching the other Gerudo gather for Ganondorf's ceremony. She wore the outfit and had her hair in a simple high ponytail, though Ilia curled it and stuck a pink flower above her ear. Suddenly the Gerudo got quiet as Ganondorf entered. Most of them dispersed, save for Link's friends among Kona's training squad.

Ganondorf took Link's hand and lead her to the center of the platform. She started to question what was going on when she noticed Ilia, Rusl, Colin, Uli, and the new baby standing with Kona and Aveil.

"Ganon...?"

Ganondorf tucked a strand of Link's hair behind the ear with the flower, then gathered both her hands in his. "Link, hero of Hyrule, savior of the Gerudo... You mean more to me than anything. More than the Triforce, more than my life. I would chain myself back to the Sages' stone and endure their punishment again if meant protecting you. I honestly can't imagine living my life without you anymore. So that's why... I want you to be my wife."

Link gasped, and her knees buckled once she processed the weight of his words. Ganondorf caught her and sat on the ground with her, massaging her shoulders as she started sobbing into his neck. "I never thought... When I was a kid, I just wanted a family, but... I had to be a boy... I couldn't get close to anyone because they'd find out... I just wanted someone who loved me for me... Not for what I was pretending-"

Ganondorf interrupted her by touching their foreheads together. "You have me, pumpkin. You had me the second your golden hair tumbled from that worn out hat. No... you had me the second I plucked you from the spillway beneath the castle and saw those sparkling cerulean eyes."

"Then... sniff... why did you break my hand? Why did you punch me? Why did you tackle me off that horse?"

"I don't know. I regret harming you every day, the same way I regret letting that demon nearly take your-"

Link shushed Ganondorf with a quick kiss. "If you want me to marry you, you better not finish that sentence!"

"I won't, I... Huh? Really?! You will?"

Link's cheeks blushed as bright as the flower in her hair. "I can't live without you anymore, either, you know."

Ganondorf cheered and pulled Link in for a passionate kiss, causing the crowd to applaud. He pulled out the circlet and hooked it in her hair, then blushed as she leaned up and lightly kissed his own.

"I guess you know what the ceremony is for now..."

Link sat back and gasped. "Us? Right now?!"

"Well, you're already in a wedding dress and your family is here. Besides, the sooner we wed, the sooner we can _celebrate_." Ganondorf winked and pawed at Link's waist, making her blush.

"How did you manage to pull all this off?"

"Ilia told me some things about your ideal wedding. Low key, simple yet flowing dress, quiet outdoor ceremony..."

Turning to the crowd, Link caught her best friend snickering. "Ilia, you were in on it too?!"

"Hee hee, sorry!"

"Augh!" Link playfully punched Ganondorf's shoulder, then leaned into his coat as if to hide. "Hurry and bring out your damn priestess and get it over with so I can punish you in private!"

"Yes, my love. But exactly how much _punishing_ are you planning to do? Hmm? Will we get any sleep at all?"

"AUGH!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to be funny. My original idea was to have this chapter as a part of a giant "wedding" chapter alongside Kira's story, but I thought it worked better by itself.
> 
> Also, I am considering whether or not to make the series into a single entry with all chapters in order and would like people's opinions. Does it make sense to keep the original story as is and have extras after; or would it make more sense to have the extras in between chapters? Feel free to message or comment your feedback!


	5. The Flu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set between chapter 15 and the epilogue.
> 
> Ganondorf has left on an excursion to Termina, leaving Link in Hyrule to deal with a particularly nasty bug. A bug that has her throwing up, craving odd foods, and screaming and/or crying at everyone in sight...

Link rolled in her bed and groaned, reeling from her third fit of vomiting in the span of six hours. "Stupid jerk just had to give me his flu before he left," she mumbled to herself, remembering how Ganondorf felt under the weather the previous month (though being the stubborn King that he was, he refused to take medicine or even acknowledge being ill). She would have made him sleep on the sofa had he not left yesterday on a two month expedition to Termina. Link absolutely hated being sick.

Link stared at the bucket on the floor, rather angry that she couldn't keep her breakfast down. Breakfast had been Yeto's famous Reekfish soup without the cheese or pumpkins, something she had become very fond of lately. How she could have turned her nose up at it before was a mystery, it was so good, ESPECIALLY when he left the skin and bones on the fish.

"Wait a minute, what the heck was I just thinking? Eating fish with the bones still attached? Yuck..." Link rolled back over and buried her head in the blanket, ignoring her thoughts as well as the knock at the door.

"Oi, Link, get the hell out of bed!" Only one person talked to her like that, let alone waltzed into the King and Queen of Hyrule's bedroom without permission.

"'M sleepin, Kona..."

"No, you're not, it's three in the afternoon. You were supposed to meet me at the carnival an hour ago so we could spook that punk Purlo out of his rupees." The scent of vomit then hit Kona's nose. "Ugh, what the hell, kid! Puke in the toilet, not in a bucket. If you were sick, why didn't you call the doctor?" Kona ran around removing the soiled containers, then brought Link a glass of water. "So, the big man really was sick, then? How dare he give it to you then leave! When he comes back, we'll throttle him!"

Link smiled and came out of the blanket.

* * *

Three days later the vomiting had ceased, but dizziness and all sorts of bathroom problems took its place. First Link couldn't go an hour without urinating, and then it was like she couldn't pass anything at all. Finally she got so fed up that she started screaming at anyone who walked by, and more than once did Aveil find her leaning over her bed crying her eyes out.

"Um, is everything okay, My Lady?" Aveil asked when she brought Link's dinner up. She barely dodged an oncoming pillow as she spoke.

"Don't call me that! I'm no one's lady or queen or mistress or any of it! IT'S LINK!" Link crumpled back onto the bed sobbing. "I'm sorry, I just hate being sick... It's never been this bad before and he's not here to comfort meee..." She suddenly regretted not going with Ganondorf to ally with the Termina Gerudo. Her excuse at the time was that she didn't feel up to traveling; her leg was acting up and Termina was just too cold. But it was something he had to do, so she supported him and told him to go with her blessing.

Aveil sat beside Link and rubbed her back. She had an inkling, and if it was true, this was what Link needed. "I'll comfort you Link. ...For what it's worth, I think I know why you're feeling so down. Though, you probably don't want to hear it, at least none of the others I've had to comfort like this did."

Link sat up. "Do I have something... dangerous?"

"Not at all. Give me your finger." Kona took a vial out of her belt, then pricked Link's finger just hard enough to draw a drop of blood. She collected it into the vial, then poured a clear liquid inside. When it touched Link's blood, it turned bright blue.

Just then, Kona burst through the door. "Oi, why are you taking so long, sis, we're supposed to-" She cut herself off when she saw Link holding the blue vial. "KYAAAAH!"

Kona ran over and squeezed both Link and her sister so hard, Link thought her bones were going to break.

"Kona, stop it, you're scaring Link."

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! For how long? Does he know? You'll let me be the _komori_ right?"

"What's going on?" Link tried to push her way out, but Kona always was stronger than her.

"Oh, our little Ganny and his _hanayome_ are gonna be-"

"KONA." Aveil clamped a hand over Kona's mouth. "This is not the way to tell her!" Turning to Link, she swiftly apologized. "Forgive her impertinence." Wiping off Link's cheeks, she smiled. "Link, my lady, it is my honor to inform you that you are going to be a mother."

"...What?" Link couldn't move. Surely she didn't hear Aveil right? "You mean, I'm... pregnant? No I'm not, I'm just sick. Ganondorf gave me the flu before he left."

"And I'll bet you gave him a good-bye present." Kona smirked, but Aveil quickly slapped it off her face.

"Even without the test, it would explain a great many things, Miss Link. The vomiting, your bathroom troubles, suddenly eating that soup you normally can't stand..."

"But I'm only nineteen, I can't be a mother! The villagers, the townsfolk, they'll all spread rumors...." Link gasped, and tears rolled down her face. "Oh no. Ganondorf, he... he'll think I'm a tramp... and then he'll get rid-"

"Link!" Kona and Aveil both cut her off.

"Listen to yourself, kid! The King would never do such a thing! You're the love of his life. He'll be so damn happy when he finds out, he'll probably jump through the roof."

"Motherhood is a sacred gift among our people, and we would never shame anyone for bringing a child into the world at your age. On the contrary, you are our savior and the father is our King; that child is already loved, now and from the day she was created." Aveil brushed Link's bangs away from the circlet she wore in place of a wedding band, and held her head. "You proudly wear our symbols, and you helped us restore relations with the Hylians. No one could ever be ashamed of you, least of all your own husband."

Link calmed down a bit, and leaned on Kona's shoulder. "...I never thought it would happen. I was a boy until a year and a half ago, after all."

"I was younger than you, don't sweat it."

Aveil and Link both turned wide-eyed to the scarred Gerudo. Link had no words, but Aveil did.

" _Masaka!_ "

"Yup, when I was sixteen. She'd be Link's age now. Lives with her father in Termina, though, so it's been a while since I've seen her."

"How the hell do I have a nineteen year old niece and not even know it?"

"I'm not sure, you know her father pretty well. He's the hot fisherman you spurned when you had that training in the Great Bay."

Link giggled as the two squabbled, living up to their reputation as the "terrible twins". When they were out of breath, she interrupted them. "Um, so what do I do now?"

"Well, kid, when did you bleed last? That'll tell us about when to expect the little princess," Kona explained.  
  
"You mean menstruation? It was about a month and a half ago, I remember it being real light. I didn't use nearly as many cottons as I usually do..."

"Ah, that wasn't a real bleed, then. I had the same thing, sometimes you bleed at the start. So you're a month and a half along. Oh boy, will he be in for a shock when he gets back."

"What? Why do you say that?"

"Because, kid, you are a tiny little thing, and tiny little things show a lot quicker than others. But kid, why are you so shocked this happened? Don't you keep track of when you're going to bleed?"

Link fidgeted. "Not really... There have been times when it was two months between. It never even crossed my mind that this could happen."

"Ha! Such an innocent little queen. They call it 'seed' for a reason, kid."  
  
"KONA!!"

* * *

Link fidgeted on the bed, every so often lifting the blanket and staring down at the little swell above her hips. Kona had been right, Link was definitely showing more than most girls at fifteen weeks. Her chest had grown too big for her undershirts, and her comfy tunic was getting too tight around the top. At the moment she wore a shirt raided from Ganondorf's closet.

He was coming home tonight. He would be here any second, and she still was scared to tell him. That's why she chose to hide in their room under the comforter, instead of going down to the gate to greet him. She knew he was back in Castle Town, she knew his horse was returned to the stable to nuzzle with Epona, and she knew he was shaking off the advisors to run to her. But she was just too scared...

The door flung open, and Link suddenly caught a scent she had been missing for two months. She peeked out, meeting golden eyes and a grin that melted her.

"I hope you're naked under that blanket."

Ganondorf watched as his wife turned bright red. He quickly tossed off his breastplate and cape and strode over to the bed, smirking at how coy she was playing. "Forgive me for leaving only four months after the wedding. But at least you can be sure that I thought of you every day I was gone. Did you think the same of me?"

_Oh, you have no idea._

Link wiggled further into the blanket to escape, but the Gerudo grabbed her foot and brought it to his mouth, kissing her toes and lightly tickling the sole. "So shy today..." He slid a hand up her leg, making her yelp and accidentally let go of the blanket. It was his chance to rip it away, and he laughed when he saw her in his clothing. "Now that's even sexier than wearing nothing at all."

Ganondorf leaned up and caught the wiggling girl in a kiss, and as much as she wanted to get away, two months was too long to wait for this feeling again. His exotic taste was her weak point, and she opened her mouth to let him in. She was nearly gone when she felt his hand wrap around her breast. It felt so different from last time, she wanted more. But then she remembered why her breasts were feeling so different.

Link caught her senses and pushed away again, but the king wasn't having it. He pulled her back and licked her cheek, trailing down her neck with his tongue while sliding his hands down her side. She squirmed and wiggled but it was too late- he reached her stomach.

"What's wrong, Link? I thought you liked your belly caressed? Don't tell me your wound is bothering you..." Ganondorf abruptly pulled off her shirt to inspect, but Link curled to the side. Turning her back and holding her still with one hand, he used the other to trace her scars as he had done so many other times.

Then he noticed.

She gained a little weight while he was gone, in her breasts and her belly. "Such a silly thing to be embarrassed of," he mumbled, before leaning in to kiss her belly button. But as he rubbed her skin, he realized something- she wasn't flabby. Her stomach was firm. And it didn't flatten out into the rest of her body while she lied. He turned his gaze up to her.

"Link."

"..."

"Link..."

"...P-please don't get angry with me! I didn't know what to do and I-"

"Link!" Ganondorf picked Link up and pulled her to his chest, grinning wider than thought possible. He knew a pregnancy when he saw one. And this one was his. He laughed and rolled her around on the bed, kissing her from head to toe. "Oh, my love, why didn't you tell me before I left? This is the best news I could have ever gotten! My Link will be a mother! How much longer?"

"I didn't know until you left. .....I thought I was sick because I caught your flu. Kona said I was already a month and a half then, so now it's almost four. But aren't you ashamed? I'm only nineteen and we hadn't even been married three months before-"

"Oh, silly, Gerudo have children as young as fifteen and none of them are ever married. Besides, why would I care about stupid Hylian rules on marriage? The woman I love more than anything in the world is giving me a child. That is the only thing that matters."

Link let out a heavy sigh and hugged Ganondorf. "Just promise me, you won't make fun of me if I get fat?"

"Love, remember what I said after you woke from the demon's injuries?"

 _You're my mate, my companion, and you'll always be, no matter if you're male, female, mute, talkative, ugly, or pretty._ Of course Link remembered. She had committed those words to heart. "I remember. I just hope you remember when I'm cursing you during childbirth."

"Hah!"

* * *

"He didn't jump through the roof."

"But you could hear his laughing through the whole castle. So I win the bet."

"No, you lose the bet. You said he would jump through the roof and tell everyone in an instant. I said he would celebrate with her in private. I win. Fork it over."

Kona groaned and handed over the silver rupee, which Aveil took it with a smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a really silly thought I had on the way to work. What happened when Link found out she was pregnant?


	6. Why Mama Picked Papa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Kira just loves hearing stories about how Mama and Papa came to find love with one another, and Link is happy to tell them. But what if Kira has a story for Mama...? ;)
> 
> Takes place between chapter 15 and epilogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this half finished snippet about Link and Kira discussing how clingy Gan was during Link’s pregnancy, and decided to finish it. The ending came out a little weird, mostly because I had no idea what I was originally trying to convey. Then I read [this fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4991266) by quietpastels and remembered that Kira was a frequent observer of such trysts. Tee hee hee. :3

"Mama, your hair is getting long."

The young princess of Hyrule ran her fingers through Link's hair as she laid on her back. Kira loved playing with and styling her parents' hair. She was even known to send Ganondorf to a council meeting with a plaited mane.

"Yeah, baby, I guess it is... Your father really likes long hair, so I stopped trimming it. Believe it or not, my hair used to be really short."

"Was that when you were a boy?"

"Yup, back before I met Papa."

Kira crawled up and stuck her head over Link's shoulder. "Mama, why'd you pick Papa?"

"Pick?"

"Yeah, um... Aveil told me that when a Gerudo gets old enough, she goes into town and finds a daddy for her baby."

Link got red in the face. "Uh, well I guess they do that... B-but that's not what I did. Papa saved me, twice actually. The first time when he took the throne, and the second time when we saved the Valley. After that, I realized he was important to me. You came along around two years later."

"I'm glad you picked Papa. I like Papa. He's nice and strong, and he loves to play with us, and he's sensitive!"

"Why do you say that?"

"'Cause Kona told me! She said she caught Papa crying back before I was born. He was sad that you were hurt. He always gets sad when one of us is hurt."

"...He is a sensitive man. Did I ever tell you how he acted when you were in my tummy?"

"No! Tell me, pwease?"

"Papa used to talk to you. He would always rub where you were growing inside me, and whenever he thought I was asleep, I would catch him speaking to you in Gerudo."

* * *

Link sat in bed reading a book, until suddenly she felt a scratchy weight against her belly. She didn't need to, but she lowered her book anyway to confirm it- the most terrifying man in Hyrule was rubbing his cheek against her stomach.

"You would think that as the sole male of your tribe, you'd have made a billion babies by now."

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "Sleeping with my sisters was never on my agenda."

"Understandable. But you're acting like you've never seen a pregnancy before. If anything, **I'm** the one who should be freaking out and rubbing tummies."

"Kona and Aveil's mother made it my job to help Valley women give birth. 'To humble me', she said. I've seen many too pregnancies to count. So you can imagine why I'm so excited for my own little one. And now that you've given her a name, I can't wait for little Kira to arrive." Ganondorf resumed his ritual of rubbing against Link's stomach, making her smile.

"Promise me something," she said, marking her page and setting the book aside. "When little Kira Lilly comes out-"

"Kira _Lilly_?! That is adorable!"

"Yes yes," Link practically had to beat back Ganondorf's excitement. "As I was saying, when Kira comes out, I'd like it if we didn't push her too hard. I know she's technically the next princess of Hyrule, and that usually they're supposed to be named Zelda, but..."

"Her name is Kira," Ganondorf said with a firm tone. "I don't care what Hylian tradition demands. I'm the king now and I say that my little girl is allowed to run around in the flowers, or play with the goats, or study all day in the library, or whatever, _as long as it's what she wants to do_. I don't plan to die anytime soon, so there is no reason for her to waste her childhood learning how to succeed me."

"Oh good," Link cooed, then picked her book back up. Pleased, Ganondorf laid his head back in her lap, and continued rubbing her belly. After a few more minutes though, Link shifted and sat her book back down.

"What's wrong, my Queen?"

"Um, that... that... feels really good..."

Ganondorf gave Link a seductive grin, before leaning up and shutting off the lamp.

* * *

"Mama, your ears are all red."

"Oh, it's nothing Kira. I was just remembering how much Papa loved to talk to you," Link said, and blushed as she recalled how that night ended. How several nights after that ended, now that she thought about it, making her face even redder. The worst part was that she didn't know who to blame, him or her hormones.

"Mama, your face is purple now! Imma go get Papa."

"NO!" Link yelped and grabbed Kira, rolling her back onto the carpet. "No, don't bother Papa. Mama's face is just purple because she thought of something funny."

Kira giggled. "Oh, like how Papa's face got purple when I said I saw him giving you kissies in the hallway yesterday?"

Link's face turned from purple to blue. Shortly after Link put Kira down for her nap, Ganondorf had grabbed her and made love to her in a hallway where they thought no one was looking. "You... saw... us...?"

"Yeah I forgot teddy in the library so I went and got him and tucked myself back in like a big girl. Are you proud of me?"

"Yes," Link eked out, and resolved to have a chat with her husband about public exposure.


	7. Kira the Insomniac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after the epilogue and during the game.
> 
> Kira will not go to sleep without a bedtime story, so Link decides to share one of her adventures before meeting Ganondorf. But the next day he tells Kira the same story...

"Mama! Tell me a story?"

Kira bounced up and down on her bed, not showing the slightest hint of being tired. Link smiled and caught her mid-bounce, plopping down on the bed together. "Of course I will, my little sunshine. What did you want to hear, the one about the cucco leader and the cats?"

"No, Mama, I wanna hear a twoo story!"

Link chuckled. Not even Ganondorf believed her when she said she used to talk to cats, and he knew what it was like to transform. "Okay, no kitty stories." _There goes half my repertoire..._ She thought for a second, before something came to mind. It was a little odd for a bedtime story, but she knew Kira would love it. After all, she inherited her father's taste in stories. "Do you want to hear about the time I ran through Castle Town as a wolf?"

" _Masaka_! Did people saw you?!" Kira resumed her bouncing.

"You've been hanging around your aunt Kona, haven't you?" Link chuckled at hearing the Gerudo language from the tyke. "But yes, not only did people see me, but I scared quite a few guards into running away."

Link paused and remembered how scared she had been at the time. Midna was dying from exposure to Lanayru's light, and being stabbed and shot at from the Castle Guard had slowed her down considerably. But that wasn't something she would tell Kira.

"I had to carry a friend to the castle for help, so that's why I ran into Castle Town. There's a secret entrance to the castle in the rich man's house, so I ran straight there." _Actually, Louise let me in the bar, but..._

"Rich man?"

 _Oh, that's right. Gengle had Jovani's fortune donated._ "You know, the man with all the kitties in his yard? South of the silly doctor's house?"

"Oh, yeah, Dr. Boring."

"Borville. Anyway, the tunnel under the house leads straight into the sewers. I jumped in the tunnel, and landed right in front of the castle waterway." Link paused, unsure of how to continue. Maybe the spiders, or perhaps the rats?

"Mama, did the guards' boo-boos slow you down?"

"How did you know about that?!" Link stared in awe at her baby. She hadn't even told Ganondorf about that.

"'Cause you're rubbin your arm. You always rub your boo-boos when I ask about 'em."

 _What a smart little girl._ "...Yes, I was hurt quite badly, actually. It was shortly after I entered the town. I made the mistake of running through the square, and a troop of soldiers weren't scared enough to flee. A few arrows hit my back, nothing too painful. But a spear was driven through my shoulder."

* * *

"Move it! The thing couldn't have gotten far!"

Link cowered behind the Gorons' supply crates, praying to The Three that humans couldn't smell blood as well as she could. The two arrows in her backside served as makeshift plugs and kept the blood in, but her shoulder was gushing. At this rate, she might not make it to the princess...

_No, don't think like that. Midna needs you._

Summoning her courage, Link darted out toward Telma's Bar. The lone guard she met on the way was frightened off with a simple baring of the teeth, and she was able to slip down the stairs. The door was open, so Link ran in without thinking. A hefty Goron tossed her back out as quickly as she had entered, and Link started cursing.

"Such language, young one."

Link whipped around, finding Telma's cat Louise standing in the window. "Here, get in through the window. The attic is connected to the castle's waterway. I assume that's where you're taking that.... patient?"

Link wasted no time answering, choosing instead to shove the nearby crate to the window. Her front leg was aching and would probably not hold her weight, but to hell with it. Midna was dying. She vaulted up the crate and through the window, then made her way through the rafters.

"H-Hey! Don't just stand there! Get that ghost!"

Link blinked. Ghost? A knock to the head from a lantern brought her out of her trance, and she made quick work of the spirit. She had been on auto pilot after speaking with Louise and barely remembered plunking down in Jovani's riches, let alone agreeing to exorcise his house. But it was done, and she hobbled over to her reward.

Jumping into the chest had been a mistake. Link hit her injured shoulder going in, and the force knocked Midna from her back. The two fell what seemed like forever, finally splashing down into a spillway that emptied into a well.

_Midna?_

Link looked around, but couldn't see the little imp anywhere. It was dark enough to begin with, but blood loss and hypothermia from the water were blinding her.

"Li..n... He..re..."

 _At least my ears still work._ Link swam over to where Midna drifted, finding a gate much like the ones they encountered the last trip through. She felt her way onto the stones beside the water, and was just able to reach the pull chain. The gate rose and the two were carried out of the well. Where they landed was even darker, and Link once more lost Midna.

_Mid... ugh..._

 

Link woke feeling groggy. When she opened her eyes she met with cold stone steps, a bright glow emanating from either side. She turned her head in confusion. There wasn't even as much as a sliver of light before she lost consciousness, but now there were torches along the walls. A soft coo caught her attention, and she looked down to find Midna laying against her belly.

_Maybe I dragged her here..._

Link sat up, testing weight on her front paw. It still hurt, but not enough to keep her from walking. She was slightly alarmed when she noticed the arrows were no longer sticking from her hindquarters, but maybe they snapped off in the fall. She pulled Midna onto her back and took off up the steps.

* * *

"But Mama, how could you pull Midna up when you couldn't move? And who lit the torches?"

"I don't know, baby. They must have been there and I was just too out of it to notice. But you'll find out one day that when you're protecting someone you care for, your body tends to ignore its ailments." Link kissed Kira's forehead, and tucked her in. "All that matters is that I made it to the princess and Midna was saved."

"But how did Shei... Zelda fix her? I wanna know."

"In the morning, cutie."

* * *

"Papa! Tell me a story?"

This time it was Ganondorf's turn to tuck Kira the Insomniac in for bed. "And what kind of story does the Princess of Hyrule request of her humble servant?"

"Papa! No sillies!"

Ganondorf laughed. He absolutely adored his daughter. The four year old was as stubborn as he was, and was quickly learning that she could control him. "Alright, no sillies. What story did Mama tell you last night?"

"She told me about how she was a woof and ran through the town with her friend to get to the castle but she didn't tell the whole thing!"

Ganondorf cocked his brow. "Oh? Where did she stop?"

"In the water. And the torches. Who lit the torches? I wanna know."

"Okay, then I'll finish it for you," Ganondorf grabbed Kira from her bounces and slid her under the covers. "There is a hidden castle below this one, very old and very spooky."

"Papa! No silly words!"

"As you wish, love." _Such a smart little girl._ "It was abandoned, unneeded after Hyrule's shift to a peaceful society. You see, it leads to the dungeons and was used to send out spies to the neighboring territories."

"During the Sealing War?"

"You've been sneaking peeks at my books again, haven't you?" Ganondorf smirked when she coyly confessed. "But yes, you are correct. The spillway leading to the hidden entrance still exists, and various houses in the town can access it. One day, a noble beast carrying an injured friend used it to reach the castle. But the beast was mislabeled as a threat, and the foolish Castle Guard attacked it. The beast managed to enter the spillway despite her injuries, but succumbed to them just after reaching the hidden entrance."

"Suk...umed?"

"It means the poor beast was hurting so badly that she passed out when she hit the water. The beast and her friend were about to drown, when a passing soul plucked them from the water. At first the soul was curious, such creatures don't usually come to the castle. He was about to toss them out, when the beast blinked at him. Her eyes were only open a second, but it was enough for the soul to see their beautiful blue color. He realized then that the pair were meant for more than a cold death beneath the castle, and so he healed the beast's injuries and made sure the path before them was clear."

"That was nice."

"Yes it was. Now sleep, and perhaps tomorrow you will hear more of the story."

Kira rolled over with her stuffed rabbit, and Ganondorf waited until he heard snoozing before leaving. He closed her door, and was turning toward his quarters when a green blur jumped out and pulled his head down into a surprise kiss.

"You..." Link purred once they broke for air. "You saved me from drowning in the sewer."

"Surprised?"

Link mewled as Ganondorf scooped her up, and curled her fingers through his hair. "Of course I am. We were enemies then!"

"I just couldn't allow such potential to be snuffed out because of a few foolish guards and their lucky shots, even if it might lead to my downfall. And besides, you make such a cute wolf, I couldn't help it."

Link blushed. "I... I see. But that still doesn't explain how you got out of the Twilight Realm! I wanna know!"

Ganondorf let out a hearty laugh as he laid his wife on their bed. "In the morning, cutie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another silly thought- why were those torches lit in the sewer? Combined with a desire to write more Kira and here you have it!


	8. Midna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after the epilogue and "Kira the Insomniac".
> 
> Six years have passed since Link last saw her best friend, and not a day goes by that she doesn't miss her. Ganondorf learns just how much the Twili means to her, when Link recounts the battle with Zant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to preface this by saying that I think Zant is adorable, and not just in a crazy manchild kind of way. But every story needs a villain, and unfortunately he has to play that role since Ganon is not. This started off as a mini-rambling, and quickly became 3000 words. Whoopsie.

**WARNING! This chapter is still rated T, but there is some recollection of near-rape physical abuse in the first third. If that's a problem, skip to the middle division to read about cute Kira and her first festival.**

* * *

Link stood on the balcony, watching Ganondorf teach their daughter Kira how to ride a horse. He led her on his stallion Vengeance, while Epona and their foal Freya grazed nearby. Link hadn't intended to breed the horses, but Epona made the decision for her and Link was not one to stop love. Freya was beautiful, inheriting Epona's coat and Vengeance's mane and tail colors, and the little foal was already Kira's best friend.

_Best friend..._

Link sighed and went back to her room, flopping down on the couch. It had been six long years since she parted with one of her dearest friends, and not a day went by that she didn't think of Midna.

The two spent a year of hell together, enduring the curse Zant had placed upon Hyrule. Link had forgiven Ganondorf for his part in the matter, after all he had merely shown Zant the way out of the Twilight Realm. But she could never overcome the pain of the usurper's attacks, and to this day, shied away when Ganondorf touched the scars Zant left behind on her torso.

"Lost in thought?"

Link looked up from the couch when she heard her husband's voice, and nodded in agreement. "Where's Kira? Are you two finished already?"

"She wanted to watch Aveil reshoe one of the horses. It must be the Ordonian blood in her," Ganondorf remarked as he sat beside Link. "Now tell me what it is that bothers you."

"...It's nothing."

"You were clutching those scars again, I saw you. The only time you ever do that is when you think of that Twili." Ganondorf sighed and patted her stomach. He knew exactly who was bothering her thoughts. "I never asked because I knew the memories brought you pain. But I must know, what exactly did Zant do to you?"

Link closed her eyes and leaned on Ganondorf's shoulder. "...The first time was in Lanayru's cave, right before he hurt Midna. I had just escaped the Lakebed Temple, and was vulnerable. He came up behind me and shoved me into the dirt, sticking his fingers in my wounds and mocking me for being careless. Lanayru interrupted, but he sealed the spirit away. The cave turned to twilight, and he attacked Midna. I tried to jump in, but then he did this to me."

Link brushed her bangs to the side, and unhooked her circlet. She pointed to her forehead, where the faintest of scars sat right above her eyebrows. It was so light that Ganondorf had never noticed it before. "He drove a black stone into my skull. The pain knocked me out almost instantly, but Lanayru was able to dull it enough for me to make it to the castle. When Midna was healed, we left for the Sacred Grove and I was healed by the Master Sword."

"So the sword really is a living relic... It was wise enough to recognize you in that form and to return you to normal," Ganondorf mused. "How fortunate that you arrived unscathed."

"It wasn't that easy, he was watching the whole time. The shadow beasts found me in the grove, and again when I entered the desert in search of the mirror. He was following me too, and found me in the temple. He used his dark magic to revive Stallord, but not before doing this." This time, Link undid her ponytail and exposed a jagged scar hidden by her hair, just above where her skull met her neck. "I was a wolf at the time, otherwise I wouldn't have made it."

Each new scar she revealed fueled Ganondorf's anger, but it was her final recollection that made him lose his temper. "The last time we met, he... sigh..." Link buried herself in Ganondorf's arms before continuing. "I told you about the castle attack, that's where I got the scars on my stomach, and I told you that Midna killed him with the Fused Shadow."

"Yes, you did. I remember it took quite the lashing to incite her to use that power on me. She was clearly afraid of its effects, so why was she willing to use the power on a weakling like Zant? "

"...Because he was the one responsible for the scars on the inside of my legs."

Ganondorf gasped. He had seen the bright red gashes lining her thighs on the night after their battle, when he was dressing her wounds. At the time, he thought they were just part of the hero's collection of battle scars. But after putting the pieces together- panicking around the rear pavilion, shying away when he touched her scars, and staring sadly into the distance when reminiscing- he realized how wrong he had originally been.

Ganondorf gripped the edge of the couch so tightly, it started to tear. "Link... did he...?"

"He found out I wasn't a boy when he sliced open my tunic at my ribs, and that angered him." Link was starting to tremble, but she gathered her courage to finish. "He said he refused to be outdone by a pair of girls and launched at us, knocking Midna unconscious and pinning me to the ground. That's when he started... 'punishing' me."

Ganondorf held Link tight as she started sobbing and clutching her chest. It was clearly a traumatic event, and Ganondorf feared for the worst. He considered himself to be a ruthless bastard in battle, but this was one thing he would never do. No matter the sexes involved, rape was a capital offense among the Gerudo.

As if sensing his unease, Link's crying slowed. Grateful for his concern, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "It's okay, he didn't get the chance. Thank Farore, Nayru, and Din that Midna woke in time to stop him. I didn't understand at the time what he was going to do or why it made me so scared, I just locked up. The pain was so bad, and I couldn't focus. I don't think I would have made it to battle with you had he done what he was intending, and even afterward I didn't leave my bed for a week."

"I owe Midna a debt of gratitude then. Were the bastard still alive, I would have done more than kill him for what he did to you." Ganondorf pulled Link close, and gently kissed the faded scar on her forehead. "He was a pathetic creature, useful only as leverage to escape the Twilight Realm. He covered Hyrule in twilight instead of weakening the castle guard as I commanded."

"We both owe Midna our gratitude," Link replied with a sad smile. "I could tell it hurt her to do so, but she explained what he tried to do to me, and held my hand through the aftermath. She stayed with me in a house in the Twilight Realm as I was recovering. I was not as physically injured as I was in the battle with you or with the demon in the Arbiter's Grounds, but I couldn't move at all. There just wasn't any reason to, even knowing that you were holding Zelda in the castle.

"I remember the moment I faced you in Eldin Field, I felt like my spirit was broken. Hurting Zelda was hard enough, but changing back and forth between a wolf and a human to fight you really drained me. If the ordeal with Zant never happened, I probably would have beaten you. But I just had no strength left."

"Don't think that way, kid," Ganondorf said as he fluffed her hair. "I don't want you believing that his abuse was the catalyst for all you have now. Exhausted or not, the hero's courage alone is not enough to overcome power. I can feel it, all the way back to my ancestors. Every time a boy or girl in green stood before them, they always gave the hero a sliver of opportunity which led to their own defeat. Me, I probably would have done the same. I could never kill someone as cute as you. Especially since you've only given me a single child so far..."

Link laughed and pinched Ganondorf's roving hand. "Stop that, you lecher."

* * *

Fall came swiftly, and with it, the annual Gerudo Festival of Spirit. Thanks to her status as their savior, Link was appointed to represent the Goddess of the Sand, and now that Kira was old enough, she joined as a "goddess in training". They would dance in honor of the Goddess at the conclusion.

The festival was held at the oasis outside of the temple, and consisted of a series of games and performances celebrating the life and resilience of the Gerudo people. Flame dancers showed off their new routines in an homage to Din. Aveil led the archers in a horseback contest, celebrating their versatility as warriors. But most interesting of all was Kona's spar against Ganondorf, from which the winner would take Link's side in the finale.

Kona wore standard Gerudo dress, a tan halter and harem pants, while Ganondorf chose to forgo armor in favor of speed and wore only trousers. He restrained his Triforce given abilities, but apart from that, the two didn't hold back against each other. Kona got in a few strong slashes on his chest and arms during the naginata round, which Ganondorf returned during the Hylian straight sword round.

The final round used the trademark Gerudo weapon, the scimitar. Ganondorf kept up the offensive, until a pretty distraction caught his eye. Link and Kira had emerged from the crowd, after being prepared for the final ceremony. Link's golden hair was pulled back into a high tail, with Gerudo ornaments on her crown and ringlets by her ears. Kira had less hair to work with, instead wearing pigtails and a flower garland. Their dresses matched, golden brown off the shoulder styles with white, open sleeves for their dance.

" _Osoi!_ "

Ganondorf didn't hear Kona yell until a sword grazed his face, leaving him with a bleeding cheek and causing him to drop his weapon from surprise. A mix of cheers and gasps rang out from the crowd, and the official came forth to raise Kona's hand.

"Lord Ganondorf drops his weapon. Victory goes to Kona!"

"Yah ha ha! I've finally beaten you, little brother, what say you to that?"

Ganondorf said nothing, moving immediately to Link and Kira.

"Mama, Papa's all bwuddy," Kira commented as Link pulled out a scarf to wipe his cheek. "Don't let him bweed on the pretty dresses!"

"Don't worry, Kira, I promise not to touch either of you," he answered, avoiding Link's outstretched hand. "The rules are very clear, 'don't touch the Goddess after her cleansing'. But as soon as the ceremony is over..."

"Wipe your cheek and get dressed, Ganon," Link scolded, trying to get her mind off just how _tantalizing_ he looked. Bare chest, fitted pants, hair knocked loose from his headdress, and those cuts... Link never found pleasure in pain, but she couldn't help noticing how good his bronze skin looked peppered with the small red scrapes. She had to admit, it was exhilarating watching Ganondorf battle. She had never seen him as lithe as he was during the scimitar round, and if not for his small hesitation, she was sure the battle would have continued far into the night. "You know how angry the elders will be if you bleed all over the stage," she mumbled. A part of her looked forward to spending the rest of the night attending to his wounds.

When the king returned, clothed and with a hasty bandage thrown on his cheek, the closing ceremony started. Every year, the Gerudo paid homage to their protector, the Goddess of the Sand, through a ceremonial dance. Kira led the dance flawlessly, having practiced every night for the last six weeks in anticipation. Link provided musical accompaniment on her ocarina, a wedding gift from Zelda that had once been a royal heirloom.

The final act of the ceremony celebrated the birth of the Gerudo, and was the reason Link needed to be cleansed beforehand. The Gerudo did not worship The Three equally, instead directing their prayers to Din. When the land was first formed, The Three left it in the care of their divine servant Hylia. However, she was not alone on the surface, and soon found Demise, the only one amongst the land of mortals that could be called her equal. It was forbidden, but the two were drawn to each other. Their coupling angered The Three, and as punishment, the child born from their union was taken away from them. But Din took pity, and sent the innocent girl to live amongst the land Farore had forsaken. The child became the Goddess of the Sand, and was mother to all desert creatures.

Link now had to perform the part of Hylia and offer her symbolic purity to her equal, hence the cleansing. She stood at the end of the stage, waiting for Kona. As the winner of the exhibition, she had the right to play the part of Demise. Link closed her eyes in thought, pondering the irony of a Hylian playing the most important role in a Gerudo ceremony. Just then, she was pulled forward and a hot set of lips met her own.

"I claim thee as my own, Goddess, as my one and only equal. Our blood shall merge inside you, and the child born from our union shall be strong."

Link was taken aback by Ganondorf's appearance, and almost missed her lines. "M-may I ask my Creators to forgive my trespasses, and to have mercy on my child that was not to be. I must forsake you to keep her safe, but I will treasure her as the memory of our union."

Ganondorf was pleased at Link's recitation, and kissed her again to end the ceremony.

* * *

"You're late."

"Maybe if I had help putting Kira to bed, I would have been here sooner. That and the temple is ridiculously hard to navigate in this dress." Link sat on the ground in Stallord's chamber, pulling her shoes off and shaking out the sand. "Why did I have to meet you up here, again? And why couldn't I change first?"

"Because I wanted to enjoy that getup in private." Ganondorf picked Link up and carried her across the platform towards the Mirror Chamber, sparing her tired feet.

"What did you have to do to get Kona to give up her spot? She always said she wanted to perform in the ceremony."

"I surprised you, didn't I? She wanted to spend a few weeks in Termina with her daughter, and I was happy to oblige. Especially since I got to take your 'purity' in return."

Link blushed, but otherwise stayed silent as Ganondorf carried her up the crumbled stairwell. When they reached the top, both took long stares at the black monolith in the center of the arena.

"I guess it's odd to revisit the spot where I was executed," Ganondorf mused, while Link hung her head. An empty mirror stand nearby was the cause. He let her down and she walked over to it, running her fingers along the rim.

"...Why did you have to send her away?"

"The Twilight Realm is a dark place. What you saw was only the central part, where civilization lies. What I saw was hell, full of twisted creatures that were once Gerudo and Sheikah and were banished by the brutish Royal Family. I realize now that my decision was somewhat hastily made, and with enough effort, those places could have been saved. But she did as asked and destroyed the mirror. We have no way of getting back there."

Link frowned in disappointment, and leaned against Ganondorf's shoulder.

"...I never said that _they_ have no way of getting back _here_."

She looked up, and as if on cue, the ground around them started to glow. A few seconds later a bright flash stole their vision, and when it faded, there was another among them.

"What's this, I thought you said she'd be here! All I see is a filly in a pretty dress."

Link spun around, and choked up almost instantly. She flew out of Ganondorf's arms, and grabbed the one before her. Six years may have passed, but Link never forgot that scent, the sound of that voice, or the look in those eyes. Midna. Midna was here, and for once, Link wasn't going to wake up and find it all to be a dream.

Midna hugged Link back, teeth bare in a wide grin. "Hey, leggo, you're squeezing me too tight! ...Are you crying? She's crying. What happened to the headstrong wolf? You went through everything under the sun, and yet you cry just from seeing me again? Dumb doggy!" The two laughed and hugged each other tighter. Link was still sobbing, but she managed to get out a "how".

"You can thank Zelda," Ganondorf answered. "I figured if anyone would know a way to get back there, it would be the embodiment of Wisdom. She still dislikes me, but she was willing to help after I told her how much you missed the imp."

"Do I look like an imp, _shorty_?"

"You're only taller than me because of that cape and crown. Anyway, Zelda was able to send a message through, and it turns out the mirror wasn't totally destroyed."

Midna giggled. "You said to destroy it, you never said how. I shattered it, but sent the pieces through with me. We just never had any way of putting them back together. Zelda figured out that if we forged a new mirror with the old pieces mixed in, she could relay the enchantment needed to make it work again. Ta-da!"

Link was overjoyed. "I missed you so much," she said between sniffles.

"If you ladies will excuse me," Ganondorf announced. "I'll be with Kira tonight if you need me." He kissed Link's cheek before departing, leaving the friends to reminisce.

Once Ganondorf was gone, Midna took a step back and sized up Link. "Okay, spill it. What was that kiss? And I was watching before I showed up, you were cuddled up against him. Plus you're wearing girly clothes and matching jewelry. Never mind the fact you look freaking _adorable_. Did he do that? And who's Kira? Why's he kissing you and then spending the night with some other girl? Hold on, he's the bad guy, right? But how come then he got Zelda to help him call me? This makes no sense!"

Link had to laugh. Midna may have regained her rightful appearance, but she kept the impish wit. "Let's go inside, I have a lot to tell you."

"And since when do you talk!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's to Midna! A BAMF if I ever saw one. Nobody hurts her doggie buddy and gets away with it.
> 
> Yay for Gerudo festivals! I got the idea for the Gerudo heritage from a wonderful fic by thesingingbone. Link and Kira's dress is supposed to be similar to the coronation dress in Anastasia, though not as poofy I guess. I just really love the sleeves.
> 
> I apologize again for Zant's behavior. The attack mentioned in the original story was basically a spin attack gone wrong. But then I was thinking, Link went through some real hell in that game, why would she lock up after remembering some simple slashes? I also believe that somewhere along the line, male Link had to put up with the same situation. (Imagine what terrible things the OOT Gerudo women might have done to him, or worse, Ghira and that tongue!)


	9. Puppy Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set years after the main story.
> 
> Kira is growing into a fine young lady, one to make her parents proud. Except for the fact that she's in love with the king of the Zora...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am going there. I saw a [rather sexy looking picture of an adult Ralis](http://defunctzombie.tumblr.com/post/109205052479/lordknights-2-no-2-pixiv) on pixiv, and couldn't help it.
> 
> [Here is Ralis holding a 5 year old Kira, if you can handle my art.](http://defunctzombie.tumblr.com/image/105143197884)

_Long ago, in the days before people rode horses and instead rode birds, there was a proud king. The king could defeat anyone who blocked his path, and thus always conquered his enemies. One of his enemies was the land now called Hyrule, and in no time, the king invaded._  
  
 _"Their defenses are weak," he boasted, and sent dark armies to snuff out the warriors of light. His warriors succeeded, besting all of the land's defenders save one. The one who stood in his way was not a soldier, but rather a farmer who had been drafted into the army. The soldier was not trained for battle, and was already heavily injured by the king's general._  
  
 _Despite injury, the king could not bring himself to defeat the farmer. For the farmer had something the king lacked- femininity. The farmer was a young girl, forced to fight under the guise of manhood. She..._  
  
"Papa, I know this story! Itsa bout how you and mama met. The girl's name is Wink and she fought cause she had a piece of the Twiforce. She wost and the king took her in, fawing in wove with her cause she was the pwettiest and cleverest girl in the whole kindgom."  
  
Ganondorf smiled and sat down his strategy book. He had been faking the story in order to catch up on his tactical reading, and Kira had caught him, plain and simple. "Okay, so you've heard that story before. What would you like me to read you?"  
  
"Mama said this was a history wesson, not storytime," the little princess boldly corrected, all the while crawling under the king's desk and digging through the tomes on the floor. "Dis one."  
  
" _Kompendium Aquatica_? Kira, why on earth do you want me to read from a book about the Zoras? Pick something else." The king started to shelve the book, before noticing that her smile had faded and turned to tears. "Oh, don't be sad, I'll read it."  
  
Kira's happy face sprung back, and she bounded up into her father's lap. "Make sure you read me the part about the woyal family."  
  
Ganondorf suddenly understood why she had picked such a dull book. "Your mother let you play with the Zora king again, didn't she?"  
  
"Maaaabye...." Kira blushed and rolled around. "Ralis is super nice to me. He gave me a pwetty earring, but I can't wear it yet so Mama made it into a necklace. I really like Ralis."

  
  
Kira ran back to her bedroom after her "history lesson", finding her mother changing the bedsheets.  
  
"Mama!"  
  
Link caught the girl and hugged her tight. "How was your lesson?"  
  
"We talked about Ralis's family! But I think Papa wanted to talk about somefing else. He kept sighing and mumbling about 'fishy disend tents', whatever those are."  
  
The hero couldn't contain her chuckle. "It's okay, Kira, I'll talk to him. I'm not afraid of 'fishy disend tents'. Why don't you take a break from lessons and go see if Aveil needs help in the stable?" Kira nodded and ran off.

  
  
Ganondorf hunched over his desk, signing various papers and reading over treaties, when a knock interrupted him.  
  
"I hear the King of Hyrule is worried about fishy descendents..."  
  
He looked up and found Link in the doorway. Turning back to his papers, he grumbled. "I can understand the puppy love of a five year old, but what I can't understand is the seventeen year old who thinks it proper to encourage such thoughts."  
  
"Ralis is a kind soul, and would be an excellent husband. If they want each other when she is of age, I will not oppose." Link sat on the edge of the desk and flipped through a few papers. "What I will oppose is any marriage made for territory or alliance..."  
  
"You need not tell me that, I am in agreement. But you have a lot of work ahead of you if you think you can persuade me to accept a Zora. My people have a sordid history with them, stemming from their refusal to help bring water to the desert."  
  
"Hylians have a sordid history with the Gerudo..." Link mumbled in response as she left the room.

* * *

Nose buried in a book, seven year old Kira walked down the halls of Hyrule Castle. When she reached her destination she quickly slid the tome into her dress pocket, and pushed open the door. "Mama, I brought the books you wanted from the library..."  
  
"Thank you, Kira. Bring them over here, if you would," Link motioned to the table next to her bed. "I would have gotten them myself, but..."  
  
Kira shook off her mother's apology. "No, Mama. The doctor said you have to stay in bed until the baby comes. Besides, Papa would get mad."  
  
"And we don't want that," Link chuckled, rubbing her swollen stomach. "So what book is that in your pocket?"  
  
The princess acquiesced to her mother's question, and pulled it out. "I was reading how to make hair ornaments from coral. But it looks like the only type malleable enough grows on the sea floor, meaning I'll never get a chance to get some. I had at least hoped to make something to match my earring..."  
  
"What if I told you I had another coral earring in my gear chest?"  
  
Kira lit up, and dove into the box with her mother's approval. Wrapped up at the bottom was a fishing rod, with an earring tied to the hook. She gingerly detached it and held it up to the window to see it better. "It's adorable! But why was it tied to a fishing rod?"  
  
Link shifted from a baby kick. "Years ago I had to track down a 'monster' for the people of the Domain. It turned out to be our friend Yeto, but the only clue we had at the time was his love of reekfish. And there was only one other man who could catch them..."  
  
"This was from King Ralis?!" Kira jumped in excitement. "Did he give you anything else?"  
  
"Sit up here." Kira crawled onto the bed beside her mother, and Link fastened the earring in place on the girl's empty ear. "Kira, honey... I want you to know something. Ralis will be twenty soon, and that's a very important age for Zora kings. His advisors are going to want him to take a wife, and to continue his line."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I don't think they'd be willing to wait another ten years for that to happen."  
  
Kira understood her mother's meaning, and hung her head. "The last time he came to visit, he said my eyes were beautiful. _Kompendium Aquatica_ says that to the Zora, praising the eyes is the highest compliment one can give. ...But I guess you're right. Papa would kill me anyways," she mumbled as an afterthought. She slunk out of the bed, and as she opened the door, Link saw tears coming to her eyes. The queen then resolved to make her firstborn happy.

 

"You are looking healthy, Your Majesty. I take it the child will be coming within the next couple months?"  
  
"Yes, Ralis, though I feel as though this little bundle is much more active than Kira ever was," Link joked as she entertained the Zora king. "Thank you for coming out to visit me. You will be of age this year, right?"  
  
"Yes, and in case I ever forget, I'm reminded by the councilors at least twice a day. I never thought I'd hear myself say that I envy Ganondorf. How did he get away with having no council?"  
  
"The Gerudo model of rule never had one," Link explained. "But Ganon has kept good faith by clearing his decisions with a small panel; Darbus, my uncle Rusl, Zelda when she's not hiding, and yourself of course. But this is not why I called you today. It's about Kira."  
  
Ralis let out a small smile. "How is the princess? Is she excited for her new sibling?"  
  
"Oh come on, sharkbait, you know what I'm talking about," Link joked, using Midna's nickname for the Zora boy. "I don't know how you did it, but you have my daughter infatuated with you. Now how are we going to handle this?"  
  
"The same way my councilors will handle my refusal to marry, I suppose."  
  
"Berating you will do me little good. Do you want a betrothal contract?"  
  
"No," Ralis emphatically denied. "For the moment, I consider us to be friends, and that's as far as I'll go until she can make the decision for herself. I know the king is against the idea, and I'm certain every councilor in the Domain would have a heart attack if the royal heirs were a quarter Gerudo and a quarter Ordonian. But I will drop everything in a second once I'm sure it's what she wants."  
  
"Really now? Even if those councilors threaten to depose you?"  
  
"You don't know what it feels like to have your heart stolen by a three year old who declared you the 'pwettiest fishie I'be ebar seen,'" Ralis said in an imitation of Kira's childhood lisp. "I feel like some kind of criminal. She's a beautiful little girl, with her entire childhood ahead of her, and she's already thinking of marriage. I'm going to be an adult by my culture soon, and I'm in love with a baby!"  
  
Link sat up and took the Zora's hand. "Ralis, don't think like that. The Zora people are very long lived. In the scheme of things, the two of you are equivalent ages. Besides, you still look the same as when Ilia found you along the road. Kira may even end up taller than you."  
  
"Don't tease me!" The two monarchs laughed, and spent the rest of the visit reminiscing.

* * *

Kira leaned on her chair and sighed. Last night was another dream about her love. The 2920th one since her mother shot her down, in fact. Eight whole years of longing... Peering out the window at the rising sun, the princess couldn't help but wish things had been different. That she was older, or that he wasn't a king.  
  
A servant shuffling around out in the hall caught her attention. Sure enough, the woman entered the room and gave Kira a stare.  
  
"Princess, you are awake! What's this, your fire's been stoked? And you are already wearing day clothes? This is not the manner to which a princess should act. Servants take care of the fire, and the clothing for your fifteenth birthday celebration has already been chosen," the portly woman scolded. She was Mortia, a former attendant to Princess Zelda and quite stuck in her ways.  
  
"My mother single handedly ripped the tongue from a Deku Toad and scooped the eye off the back of a dragon thousands of feet off the ground, yet I can't be bothered to stoke my own fire? Such nonsense," she answered without ever taking her eyes from the window. "As for the birthday clothes you can forget it. I have better things to do than stand in front of a room of people I've never met and pretend to be interested in their mouth breathing sons."  
  
"Princess Kira, you are royalty, and royalty has certain obligations," Mortia answered in a heartbeat. This conversation nearly mirrored one she'd had with Zelda at that age. "Your father has done much for the land of Hyrule, but he still needs the support of its neighbors. You can help create bonds..."  
  
"In return for spreading my legs for some stranger, yeah okay. I find it hard to believe a man raised in a society of women can stand for that _detarame_."  
  
"Princess Kira! Your language is not becoming of a lady, and mixing tongues is poor form. I will be back with your breakfast after I check on your sister, I hope you have better words when I return."  
  
The door was barely shut before Kira pulled a scabbard from beneath her bed, then flung open the window and leapt out.

 

Freya was ready to go, the horse always knew when Kira needed her. The pair snuck out of the castle stables, out of the exit in East Hyrule Field, and took off toward the north part of the province. The princess had one destination in mind.  
  
Her contact with Ralis had dwindled more than she wanted, and she suspected her father was to blame. Ralis was suddenly too busy to make his weekly visits to the castle, and had stopped attending Ganondorf's tactical meetings. She only ever got to see him at royal functions- the birth of her sister Fi, her own birthday celebrations, the parades for Lanayru's Feast, etc. They still wrote letters, but Ralis had become increasingly vague when Kira asked about his feelings. A disturbing rumor that he was to wed the leader of the Terminan Zora scared her senseless, and it finally got to the point where she had to hear the truth from him.  
  
Kira left Freya at the entrance to Upper Zora's River, and padded through the tunnel leading to the Domain. The autumn wind was fierce, and whipped her skirts around her legs as she pressed onward. It was nearing noon now, but the cooling weather caused most of the Zora to stay underwater. Only the regularly stationed guards remained outside.  
  
"You, young lady, what brings you to the Domain? You should be home in front of a fire," a throne room guard said as she stopped Kira. "One misstep here and you could fall into the icy water."  
  
"I... I came to see the King," Kira answered. It seemed that the Zora did not recognize her. Kira's dress was nothing fancy, a simple blue peasant dress that she used when she wanted to sneak into town unnoticed, but without a hood the princess definitely stood out. Her father's hair, her mother's ears, and her own distinctive jade eyes usually dispelled any attempt at disguise. But maybe this was a chance...  
  
"I'm sorry, young lady, but King Ralis can't take any visitors today. He's having a very important meeting with a special lady about his future, and we can't disturb him. Not when we're this close to finally having a second monarch."  
  
Kira recoiled from shock, her fingers gripping the sleeves of her dress until her knuckles turned white. "He... he's... with a lady...?"  
  
"Of course. Princess Lulu came from Termina at his request. It seems he has a lot he wants to discuss with her," the guard winked, not realizing that Kira had hung her head. "But I suppose you could hang around until he has a free moment... He might be able to see you. The king has a lot of love for your kind, you know."  
  
Kira wandered away, sitting down at the edge of the waterfall and watching the dragonflies. "He really is getting married... Why wouldn't he tell me?" She drew circles in the sand, trying her best to hold back tears. Some minutes later a small commotion caught her attention, and she turned around to see people exiting the throne room. She had to stand on the balls of her feet to see, but sure enough Ralis was among them, with a Zora woman hanging on his arm.  
  
Her heart fell, and with it came the tears she'd been holding back. The guard from earlier whispered something to the king, and suddenly he spun around to look in her direction. Ralis looked annoyed, and it hit Kira even harder. She took a step backward, and slipped.

 

"Kira?" Ralis knew there was only one Hylian who would ever come to see him, and quickly looked around for her. He found her near the edge of the waterfall, but his happy expression turned sour. It was a windy day, and she could easily lose balance that close to the edge. And was she crying? His step forward caused her to take a step backward, and she lost her footing.  
  
Ralis dove into the stream, quicker in water than he was on land, and reached the waterfall just as she fell over. He leapt from the stream and caught her, then held her tight as the two tumbled into the basin below.

* * *

Kira woke up coughing, swaddled in a large cape and carried through unfamiliar hallways. She instinctively pulled the cape around her tighter, and nuzzled into the person carrying her. She was freezing cold, and wanted to draw every bit of warmth available to her.  
  
Her carrier brought her into a much warmer room than the hall, and laid her on top of a squishy bed. "You'll be a lot warmer in here, Sunshine."  
  
 _Sunshine...? The only one who calls me that is..._ "R...Ralis?"  
  
"The one and only."  
  
Kira wormed out of the cape. The smile and bright green eyes looking back at her were indeed the Zora king's. "What happened?"  
  
"The wind knocked you off balance, and you slipped over the edge of the waterfall. I caught you and we hit the water together, though I'm worried you might be sick from exposure. Where are your outergarments? Did you ride Freya here all alone in the cold?"  
  
"...I ran away."  
  
Ralis's eyes widened. "Ran away? Oh Sunshine, why ever would you do such a thing?"  
  
Kira curled into the cape and rolled toward the wall. "I couldn't stand what they had planned for me, and I just had to know if the rumors about you were true. But now that I'm here, I wish I had jumped into Death Mountain Volcano instead."  
  
"There are rumors about me floating around Castle Town?"  
  
"........You're getting married."  
  
Ralis leaned back and smiled. "Ah, yes, I guess that would be big news. I had planned on announcing it tonight at the Castle, but I guess everyone found out a little early."  
  
Kira sniffled and let out a grumble. "I wish you and your new wife congratulations. Now leave me to mourn."  
  
"We won't be marrying for another two years."  
  
"Isn't that nice."  
  
"I don't know... The bride is rather eager. She's been wanting this for as long as I can remember."  
  
"Good for her." Venom dripped from Kira's words.  
  
"I imagine she has the whole thing planned out already. Floor length dress with blues and purples, jewels from her parents adorning her crown alongside coral earrings..."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"Lilies and ribbons woven into her curled, strawberry blonde hair..."  
  
"Ugly," Kira snorted, before abruptly sitting up. "Wait a second, Zoras don't have hair."  
  
Ralis smiled at her, like a puppy who found his bone.  
  
"You're teasing me."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"But I saw you with that girl Zora! She was hanging around your arm!"  
  
"My cousin Lulu from Termina, in town to offer us congratulations. She's grabby."  
  
"There were all these foreign dignitaries and their sons that were coming to my birthday ceremony..!"  
  
"It was really supposed to be a surprise engagement party, that was just the cover story."  
  
"No way, my father will kill us!"  
  
"Link will make sure that doesn't happen."  
  
Kira curled up in shock. "How am I the last one to know about my own future?"  
  
"I don't think your horse knows yet... But Sunshine, you've known this was going to happen since you were three years old." Ralis started chuckling, which made Kira crawl out of her cocoon and pull on his ear fins.  
  
"You meanie! You big, blue, sharkbait MEANIE!" Kira smiled and started scolding the Zora king, until he silenced her with a quick and chaste kiss.  
  
When they parted, Ralis draped a blue dragon scale around her neck. "Happy birthday, Kira my queen."  
  
Kira's pouting face disappeared, turning into a grin as she inspected the gift. She leaned over and kissed him again, then buried her face in his neck. "I got so scared when your visits lessened... Then you got so vague in your letters when I asked how you felt. I was scared you didn't love me anymore. This morning I just had to get away. My soul led me here, but the guard said your people were so close to finally having their second monarch, and I..."  
  
"Silly Sunshine, the guard was talking about you." Ralis smoothed out Kira's hair. "The truth is, for a while now I've been making it clear to my people that they're not getting a Zora queen. Funnily enough, the only ones that objected were my father's stuffy councilors. They want purebred heirs."  
  
"...Maybe my father can commiserate with them. He's not too pleased with the idea of 'fishy grandchildren' after all." The two laughed and held each other tightly.  
  
"Come on. I have to get you back to Hyrule Castle before I have the Gerudo army at my doorstep."  
  
"Aww. But I'd much rather cuddle with you here... Alright, I'll go back on one condition. Close your eyes."  
  
Ralis did as told, and was suddenly tackled to the floor with a warm set of lips pressed against his own. He wrapped his arms around his bride-to-be and held her close, caressing her neck and back and continuing the kiss until they could no longer breathe.  
  
"It must be your Gerudo half that makes you such an excellent kisser."  
  
"Between the naughty comics I got from Aunt Midna and all the things I caught Papa doing to Mama, I think you'll find I have quite the open mind..."  
  
Ralis helped Kira to her feet, and wrapped her in an evening coat. Smoothing her mussed hair, he whispered in her ear. "Keep your thoughts centered on actions that **won't** get me eviscerated for the next two years, and maybe I'll still have the parts to please you on our wedding night."  
  
Kira blushed, then took her betrothed's hand. "Two years can't come soon enough."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason I named Link and Gan's second daughter Fi. It's because I want to eventually pair her up with Midna's son. Guess his name. ;)
> 
> This series of oneshots will continue. I do plan to write Kira's wedding, so subscribe to part 2 of the series because this is where I'll post it. [As a teaser, I drew Kira in her wedding dress.](http://defunctzombie.tumblr.com/post/109743156264/for-my-loyal-followers-grown-up-kira-in-her)


	10. Fi Makes a Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place 15 years after the main story, between the second and third portions of "Puppy Love".
> 
> The younger Dragmire princess is shunned by other children her age, and thus withdraws from social activity. So she's not too happy when someone barges into her sanctuary...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short piece I started a while ago, figured I'd share.

The younger Dragmire princess was born sickly. Little Fi came a month earlier than she should have, weighing a scant three pounds and looking as white as a sheet. Her brilliant blue eyes were the only color on her body, even her hair was as white as her skin.

As Fi grew, her skin and hair remained pale, and her blue eyes began to show flecks of purple. "Sun sickness" the doctors called it, a disease of old harmless to Sheikah but which tended to kill Gerudo. Thus, Fi couldn't go outside without layers of dark clothing covering her skin and hair.

Her appearance was a source of grief from others. The local children would mock her protective clothing, make fun of her colorless hair and purple eyes, and tell her she was not a Gerudo. Even perfectly innocuous things like the stuffed jellyfish she carried everywhere brought ridicule, and before long, Fi refused to be around other people.

Princess Kira was highly protective of Fi, and was rumored to break the toes of whomever insulted her little sister. Kira helped Fi stylize her clothing, and taught the younger princess how to sew. Before long, Fi had turned her boring protective suits into beautiful outfits.

Because of her fragility, Ganondorf and Link did not train Fi with weapons. Instead, they focused on words, using the enormous castle library and the king's own private collections to sharpen her wit. Fi had read everything in sight by the time she was five, often using the library as a sanctuary from the bullies. She liked cuddling up on her father's lap for fairy tales, sleeping in Kira's arms while their mother told them stories from her past, and using the larger books as the base of a blanket fort.

Fi was sleeping in the middle of one such fort when she heard a commotion. The door clanged shut and she heard what sounded like a chair scraping against the floor. Coming out to investigate, she saw a young boy roughly her age hiding behind another chair that wasn't propped against the door.

"What are you doing in here...?"

The boy jumped at Fi's voice; she was barely audible for being scared (and for hiding behind her jellyfish), but his long ears picked up her voice right away. When he turned her way, she realized he was not quite Hylian. His ears were dual toned gray and charcoal, black lines zigzaged up his neck, and he bore a diamond shaped birthmark below his left eye.

The strange boy sighed when he saw it was just a little girl, and ran his fingers through silver-blue bangs. "I was trying to hide, but I guess I'm caught now. Just don't turn me in too soon, I'd like to breathe a little more before my lungs are ripped out."

Fi lowered the jellyfish, exposing the rest of her face. "Who would remove your lungs? I read that punishments like that were from the old old days." She looked him over a little more, before asking, "Are you a Twili?"

The boy didn't answer, and instead stood still and gawked at Fi. It hurt her, having been recipient of far too many similar and malicious stares, and so she turned to run.

"No, wait! Please don't go!"

The little boy jumped out and reached for her, but missed and knocked into a footstool. She heard him seethe at his now scraped knee, and reluctantly came back to help him up.

"I'm Ghirahim. What's your name?"

"...My name is Fi."

"Fi..." Ghirahim smiled wide, then rubbed his head. "So who's your friend? It looks like you two are really close."

It took Fi a moment to realize he was talking about her toy. "Kuri...?" She responded with eyes turned to the ground. "Kuri's my jellyfish. My sister Kira gave me her when I was just born, so I've had her for almost six years. Kuri is always there. Kuri doesn't make fun of me for my condition. Kuri doesn't stare at me."

Ghirahim jumped back, then immediately bowed his head. "I'm so sorry, Fi! I didn't mean to stare at you, not at all! It's just... you're so pretty, I've never seen someone like you before in all the times I've been to Hyrule, and there's certainly no one as brilliant as you in the Twilight realm. Man, how could his lordship Ganondorf hide such a pretty girl from everyone?"

A blush popped up on Fi's pale cheeks. "You... think I'm pretty? But I'm not pretty, I'm abnormal. I have a condition."

Ghirahim looked shocked. "Abnormal? No way, you're an angel. My Ma with her freaky mobile hair is abnormal."

"GHIRAHIIIIIIM!!!"

Fi didn't get a chance to respond to Ghirahim's compliment, because he was suddenly plucked into the air by a floating black and blue hand. Midna, Queen of the Twilight Realm, materialized in the library with an angry look on her face.

"You fresh little whelp, you'll know what abnormal is when you can't sit down for a week!" Midna laid her son across her lap and promptly smacked his bottom. "Not only did you set the training room on fire, you broke a window, and then LIED to Ganondorf about who did it! He invited you here to learn, not to break shit!"

Fi giggled, watching as Ghirahim's face turned red in embarrassment from Midna's spanking. She was starting to like this strange Twili boy who found her pretty.

"Ow, Ma, stop that! Not in front of Fi!"

"You woke up the little princess with your commotion, too?! Rotten brat, I'm going to beat your father too for making you this naughty!"

After Midna and her rambunctious boy teleported away, Fi padded down the hallway to her mother's room, dragging Kuri behind her. Link was fond of grass and gardening, and had a large greenhouse installed in the castle. Fi found her there gathering pumpkins for a meal.

"Mama?"

"Fi, come here baby. You look like something's bothering you." Link picked up her youngest, then kissed her cheeks. "Did you have a bad dream during your nap? Wasn't Kira with you in the library?"

"Kira read me a story, but then she had to go to her riding lesson. I was napping in the library when a little boy came in and made a commotion. Queen Midna then came in and spanked him for setting Papa's training room on fire."

"Ohh... Now that I think about it, you've never met Ghirahim, have you?" Link had remained close with Midna ever since Ganondorf and Zelda reforged the Twilight Mirror, and the Twilight Queen was a frequent visitor to Hyrule, even having assisted in Fi's delivery. But her son Ghirahim had only just begun training under Ganondorf, and Fi was usually resting when he was in the castle.

"He asked me about Kuri. Then he said I was pretty and brilliant and an angel."

Link smiled. "Really? That's great! Ghirahim is a little silly, but he's a really nice boy. Come on, let's go find Papa and tell him you've made a new friend."

"But I thought we weren't allowed to be friends with boys? Papa gets real mad when he catches Kira writing letters to King Ralis."

"If Papa has a problem with you making friends with boys, he can bring it up with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A review I received at ffnet on the diary chapter said Ganondorf was "Papa Boar" protecting his daughters from the ultimate evil - boys. I concur. XD
> 
> The jellyfish's name translates into chestnut. She's also a nod to a certain jellyfish obsessed character with Fi's same hair color.


	11. Pretty Dresses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With six months to go until the wedding, Kira is getting fitted for her gown while Fi watches. Fi understands that this is Kira's time in the spotlight and accepts that her own dress will be simple. But Ghirahim won't stand for his angel being left out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. Lame summary. But I hit a bit of a snag writing the actual wedding and I thought a small foreshadowing of ghirafi might be interesting.
> 
> That and I love Fi. My little albino baby.

"I can't believe this is actually happening! And Papa isn't against it!" Fi couldn't keep her excitement contained as she helped the dressmaker adjust Kira's wedding gown. In a little over six months, the first born Dragmire child would become the Queen of the Zoras.

"Papa wants both of us to be happy, Fi. For me, that means marrying Ralis. And for you, that means making your best friend the Princess Guard." Kira shot a glance to the uniformed boy leaning in the corner, herself giggling as she caught him pretending not to listen.

Dress fittings were normally girls-only occasions, but Ghirahim went where Fi went, end of discussion. He was her first and only true friend, and she stuck to him to the point of refusing to sleep without him nearby. Of course Link and Midna were thrilled that their children adored each other, and so the Twili boy lived in Hyrule Castle as Fi's shadow, officially titled Lord Ghirahim, Princess Guard.

Once her giggling subsided, the dressmaker resumed her work. Kira wiggled as she strung and tied her bodice. The dress was designed to resemble the fallen Queen Rutela's fins, with a special type of fabric made to shimmer even when submerged in water. The laces on the side of the bodice resembled gills, and the open front showed off Kira's long legs.

That's not to say Kira ignored her Gerudo heritage. The dress showed off more skin than necessary, via sheer material and plentiful slits. She always wore her circlet proudly, and planned to shadow her eyes like the Goddess of the Sand.

"Kira, you're going to look so pretty," Fi said as the dressmaker measured and took notes. "Too bad Mama can't be here with us..."

"Mama has to stay in bed for a while, Fi, just like when you were born. Besides, this is just a fitting and there is half a year to go. She will see it before then." Kira dismounted the stool, and hugged her sister. "How about you and Ghirahim join her for lunch? I'll come join you as soon as I get out of this. Agahnim should be sleeping right now, and she'll be glad for our company."

Fi nodded. Link's third pregnancy had been easy, but delivery sapped most of her energy and even if Ganondorf allowed her out of bed, she wasn't feeling up to it. Thankfully, Agahnim was a quiet baby and only ever fussed when he was hungry or when Fi's cat Mews jumped onto Link's bed during naptime.

Fi and Ghirahim left Kira to change, and went to the king and queen's bedroom. Link was sitting on the bed, rocking Agahnim to sleep. She looked up when the pair entered. "Look, Agahnim, Sissy and Ghirahim have come to see you!"

Fi crawled onto the bed and laid her head on Link's shoulder, staring at her baby brother. She still thought he looked like a cantaloupe. "Hi, Mama."

Link smiled and wrapped an arm around Fi. "Hi, baby. How was the dress fitting?"

"Kira's going to be really pretty, it's sad you can't come watch. Maybe she can have a fitting in here next time..."

"Maybe. But it's not like I'll be in bed forever, at most another week or so." Link brushed a lock of Fi's hair behind her ear, then kissed between her eyebrows. "Let's have some lunch now, and you can tell me all about it."

* * *

After lunch, Fi and Ghirahim walked down the hall towards the library. Mews was weaving in and out of Fi's legs, making her giggle as she tried to keep from tripping. She almost didn't hear Ghirahim grumbling behind her.

"So what about your dress? Aren't you going to be the maid of honor? It's not fair." Fi stopped, and turned to her companion. Ghirahim had his arms crossed and was scowling.

"It's Kira's wedding, so she gets the spotlight. My dress is just going to be made like all my other clothing. They have my measurements, and I'll see it the day of the ceremony."

"That's not good enough," Ghirahim declared, before taking Fi's hand and pulling her back toward the dressmaker's room. "This is the only time you'll be able to stand with your sister on her wedding day, and you can't let your attire be a surprise. Come on, I'll fix it."

Fussing princess in tow, Ghirahim knocked on the dressmaker's door. The friendly dressmaker answered, and smiled at the children. "Well hello, Lord Ghirahim, and Your Highness, did you two forget something from this morning?"

"Fi wants to be fitted in her dress, too."

The dressmaker noticed the determination on the Twili boy's face. As a mother of several grown daughters she knew the feeling a sibling gets when left out, and though Ghirahim was doing all the talking, she could tell the situation did bother Fi a little. "Oh, I understand. Come in, children, come in. I was actually going to work on hers right now. Stand on that stool over there, Princess, and I'll fetch it for you."

Ghirahim helped Fi up onto the stool, and took her gloves and shoes. "Isn't this nice? Now you get to see what you'll be wearing!" He set the accessories down on a corner chair, but when he turned back, he gasped. Fi had taken her dress off, and was standing there with nothing but her panties, as any nine year old would have done. But to Ghirahim, seeing the girl he had adored since he was five years old _topless_ was a little too much to handle.

The dressmaker then walked in, nearly dropping her bundle of fabric at the display. "Lord Ghirahim, your nose is bleeding! What happened?"

"Nuffing. Bmpd ma nows on da cabnit," he mumbled, hands covering his flushed face and turning to the corner. "Awll b fain, tnd to Fi." Fi giggled, oblivious to his current state.

Fi's dress was simple compared to Kira's, but it still kept the aquatic theme. Long lavender gloves stretching to her underarms matched mid-thigh high boots, and each had aquamarine ribbons wound around to mimic Zora fin patterns. The dress itself was a simple tube design, in a pearlescent silver. The finishing touch surprised Fi the most- a simple collared cape, trimmed in coral and flowing down her shoulders to mimic fins.

"Ghi-Ghirahim, look!"

Blood wiped away, Ghirahim turned back from the corner at Fi's request and immediately blushed. "Woow, you... you look stunning, almost like you have wings."

"I think that was the intention," the dressmaker chimed in. "Princess Kira had the suggestion to make the cape look more wind-like than water-like, because you always seem like you're floating through the castle." 

Ghirahim picked up the edge of the "wing", and rolled the fabric between his fingers. "Can... can you make another one for her after the wedding is over? It would help cut down on the heavy clothing you have to wear, Fi..."

"Yes, I think I can come up with something, Lord Ghirahim. If it's alright with the Princess..."

Fi twirled in her dress once more, then looked to Ghirahim and smiled. "Yes, I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghirahim's nosebleed is supposed to be for comedic effect. I am in no way implying that a ten year old is lusting after his best friend. I imagine the two of them kind of like Simba and Nala; best friends, they play together, cuddle together, get into simple mischief, and maybe when they're 15 or so one of them kisses the other and they realize it feels right. 
> 
> FYI Kira already has THEIR wedding planned out, in addition to her own. The girl is a romantic nut just like her mother.


	12. Three Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ralis is stuck in a council meeting, three days since seeing Kira last and three short days before his dream comes true.

Ralis stared out the window of the conference hall, not focused in the least on the current council meeting. In three days, he would officially join the Dragmire family and marry the girl he'd cherished for the last fourteen years. From here he could glimpse the stable, and sure enough Kira came padding out with Freya in tow.

Kira wore her strawberry blonde hair loose at the moment, the wavy strands falling to her mid back. She had inherited her mother's silky thin texture, though underwater her father's Gerudo traits shone through. The water made her hair spread out like the halo of a goddess, the deepened color resembling the red lilies in Zora's domain. Oh, how he loved to run his fingers through it as they...

"Ah-HEM."

Ralis sprung back from his reverie and found the entire council staring at him. Rusl and Aveil were shaking their heads, Darbus was silent, and Zelda gave him a warm (and understanding) smile before nudging her head towards the very angry and scowling king.

"Oh, forgive me, is our little council meeting interfering with your day, Zora? Perhaps I need to postpone it until after nap time so that we have your FULL attention..." Ganondorf barked, not used to being ignored. The frightened look on the boy's face made him sigh, and he rubbed his temples. No wonder he was going gray. He was about to continue when Zelda cut him off.

"Ralis, we know you are very stressed at the moment, and we appreciate you making an effort to come to this meeting," Zelda said, coming over and patting Ralis on the shoulder. "But perhaps, one of your advisors can take your place? It would give you more time to prepare for the big day..."

Ganondorf didn't take that well. "Do not interrupt me, _okama_ , you are not in charge of this council."

Zelda turned from her spot beside Ralis, and with all the grace of the Nohansen line, marched over to Ganondorf and engaged him. "Excuse me, but this was my castle before it was yours. And I object to your language. Whether I choose to be Zelda or Sheik, neither of us is an 'okama', _ha-ge_."

" _HA-GE_? You wench, how dare you! I extend my people's hospitality to you, and you repay it by learning how to insult us in our own tongue? I will have you thrown in the Cave of Ordeals for your treachery, good for nothing snake! You will pay for..."

Ralis recognized Zelda's play, and ducked out of the room while the others sat in awe. Zelda and Ganondorf had long settled their initial hatred at Link's request, and now the most that happened between the two was this kind of verbal spar. He snuck down the halls toward the stable, hoping to catch his love by surprise. They hadn't seen each other in three days...

"King Ralis?"

A small voice stopped his search, and he turned around to find little Fi at his heels. "Hey, Fi-Fi, I haven't seen you in a while!" Fi came over and hugged him, while he fluffed her hair. "So where's Little Buddy? Is he treating you well?"

Fi giggled and pointed to the wall behind her, where Ghirahim leaned. "Don't call me that," he scowled in an attempt to hide his blush. Secretly, though, he loved it.

"No way, Little Buddy. So what are you two up to?" Ralis listened as Fi told him their current mission- finding a way to keep Ghirahim's brother Vio from following them around. Midna was in the castle visiting Link and the baby, so of course Vio had tagged along. The six year old was usually shy, but then he found out that Zelda gave Fi a number of new history books and wanted her to "share".

Ralis suggested the two hide in Ganondorf's armory office; after all Vio hated anything sharp and wouldn't follow if Ghirahim made it sound like he was going to be training. The two thanked him and ran off, so he resumed his sneaking.

Kira finished grooming Freya and returned her to the stable, then headed toward the garden. As soon as the stone path ended she chucked her sandals away and ran through the grass, eying a large pile of leaves the groundskeepers had left unattended. She didn't hesitate to dive right in.

Ralis had found his way to the stable, but Kira was already gone. Freya nudged him toward the garden, so he walked off and soon came across a discarded pair of sandals. He picked them up and looked around, but saw nothing besides the yard waste. "Now where did she go...?"

Kira's long Hylian ears picked up Ralis's mumble, and she poked her head out from the pile. She was thrilled to see him standing only a few yards away, and was about to call him when she got an idea. Worming her way back in so that he couldn't see her, she made a few rustling noises to get his attention.

Ralis thought he heard something coming from the waste pile, but shrugged it off. She wouldn't be inside the trash. Maybe her feet were hurting so she continued her walk barefoot...

The noise came again, so this time Ralis walked over. Maybe one of the cats got stuck. He felt around for a cat but came up with nothing, so he turned around to leave. Suddenly a pair of hands wrapped around his waist and yanked him into the leaves, accompanied by giggles. Found her.

"What the heck are you doing in a pile of lawn garbage?! You'll get filthy," Ralis chided in between kisses from his beloved.

"You'll just have to wash me off, then," Kira cooed, rolling them out of the pile and picking a leaf from under his ear fin. "They're just leaves. We like to jump in them because it's like swimming without water."

Ralis smiled, then bent down and kissed under her ear. "I love it how there are days when you are Gerudo, and then there are days when you are clearly Ordonian."

* * *

"Tell me it wasn't that sappy when you two were courting," Midna said with a sigh, watching the two roll around in the garden from Link's bedroom window. "My Ghira better not be that mushy when he proposes to Fi."

"Actually, Gan was pretty bad," Link answered as she fed Agahnim. "He was always touching me. Massaging my shoulders or nipping at my ears, kneading my thighs when I sat on his lap, mumbling words of love in Gerudo, sniffing my hair, and that was even before he realized I loved him back. Did I tell you he actually cried when Kira called him Papa for the first time?"

"Yeah, well you better get out there before Papa does and remind those kids that they're not married yet. Otherwise there'll be a funeral instead of a wedding."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hage" is Japanese for "baldy". So you can understand why the posterboy for Herbal Essences would be offended. XD


	13. The Big Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kira and Ralis are finally getting married.

"Grampa, will you tell me about the day Mommy and Daddy got married?"

Ganondorf looked up from his correspondence when he felt the little child crawl up into his lap. She maneuvered herself in between his arms and managed to take his quill, proceeding to draw smiley faces on a very important letter from the queen of Labyrnna.

"Laruto. What are you doing, this is not coloring paper. Give me that." He took the quill from the girl, but paused when she turned and looked at him with tears in her eyes. He was suddenly reminded of the same situation twenty five years in the past, but with a book instead of a quill and a daughter instead of a granddaughter. "Oh, alright. I guess Ambi won't mind if you decorate her letter."

"Yay!" Laruto took the quill back and resumed her doodles. "Here's Mommy and Daddy, and me, and Fi-Fi and Ghiraham, Aggy and Mawiin, and you and Mummy!"

As always, Ganondorf had wanted to strangle Ralis when Kira revealed she was pregnant. But of course he would never do something to harm his little girl or her feelings, so Ralis got off lucky. None of them were sure how a pregnancy between a human and a Zora would work, but it turned out to be like a normal human birth.

Laruto was an interesting little girl. She had a near standard if somewhat petite Zora build, with ear, head, and arm fins. Her skin was baby blue, and her eyes were green like her parents. Surprisingly she had toes instead of webbed feet, and while it seemed like the lack of fins would slow her down, Laruto had no problem moving swiftly through water (Ganondorf claimed it was because she inherited his strength). Lastly she grew soft blonde hair on her head, which Kira loved to put in pigtails.

"You want me to tell you about your parent's wedding, huh?" Laruto grinned and nodded, making the King of Hyrule smile. She turned herself around in his lap, and tucked her legs up under her little purple dress. "As you wish. Though I'll warn you now, it is a rather mushy story..."

* * *

"I can't believe my baby is getting married!" Link said as she put the finishing touches on Kira's hair, curling it and piling it atop her head with a flower holding it together. "My sweet baby girl..."

"Mama, you're embarrassing me," Kira protested, squirming to avoid getting jabbed by the dressmaker's needle as she fixed a few last minute stitches. "I'm not going anywhere, Ralis said he'll live here with me until I'm ready to move to the Domain."

"...How is a king going to rule his kingdom if he's not even living in it," came a mumble from the corner, where Ghirahim stood guard. Fi was holding baby Agahnim while waiting for her turn with the dressmaker, so of course the Princess Guard was in attendance.

"I heard that," Kira grumbled. "Fi, tell your boyfriend to shut up."

Ghirahim and Fi both turned pink. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"You won't go to sleep unless he's in the same room with you, I call that being a boyfriend."

"MAMA! Tell her to stop picking on meee!"

Link chuckled. "Now now, I don't want my babies in a sour mood. Ghirahim, never talk bad about a woman's husband when she can hear you. Kira, don't make assumptions. Fi, there's nothing wrong with having your best friend share a room with you. And Agahnim, stop eating your blanket."

Everyone laughed as the ten month old continued sucking on his blanket, oblivious to the conversation. As soon as the dressmaker finished it was Fi's turn, then Link's. The mother of three wasn't too heavily outfitted, instead she opted for a more modest version of her Festival of Spirit gown. It only needed a few minor adjustments in the bust, since she was still nursing.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" Link looked over her children, and made one final adjustment to Kira's curls. "Ghirahim, go tell your mother that we're finished, then get your armor on. Oh, I just can't believe we're really here..."

"Mama, stop sniffling," Kira softly chided, dabbing at her eyes. "You're gonna make my makeup run..."

* * *

Ralis paced back and forth in front of Ganondorf's throne. Any minute now, his advisors and citizens would start showing up for the wedding. And he was a nervous wreck.

"Anxious?" Princess Zelda came in the room, her five year old son Vaati following quietly behind. "There really is no cause to be so, weddings are largely symbolic. It does nothing to change your love for one another."

"Were you nervous for your wedding?"

"Truth be told, I never married," Zelda admitted. "Vaati's father is a scholar I met while studying the ancient tribes of the sky. You could call it my rebellious streak, I suppose. Payback for all the years of propriety I was forced to endure. He and I have a partnership, and our lack of vows does not make him any less of a father."

"...I see. Mortia would have a heart attack if she found out."

Zelda laughed. "I imagine so. Tell me, is your attire symbolic of anything?"

Ralis lifted his cape. "This was my father's, though I never met him as he passed shortly after I was born. The kilt around my waist belonged to my mother. I wasn't sure what to wear, considering I usually don't wear human clothing and their suits would be constricting."

As the two were finishing their conversation, Midna entered. "Hey Sharkbait, Princess. Having a pep talk? You better wrap it up, because Ghira says they're ready."

"Of course. Come along, Vaati, let's go find Ravi and Vio." Zelda bowed to Ralis, then left. Midna then came over and slapped Ralis on the back. "Well, Sharky, you've done your mother proud by getting this far. She would have loved to see you all grown up. Not so sure how she would have liked you marrying a human, but oh well. C'mon, let's go."

Ralis followed Midna out to the castle courtyard, where a small crowd had gathered. The wedding was to be small at Kira's request- she didn't like the idea of a public spectacle, so instead both families' closest allies and friends were invited. The Zora and Gerudo would each have their own celebrations afterward. The castle wedding would be in the Ordonian style, with the bride and groom exchanging rings in front of the king. And right now, Ralis was being stared down by said king.

Ganondorf called Ralis to the front, and inspected his attire. Ralis stood quivering as he was scrutinized, after all it was no secret that Ganondorf wasn't thrilled to be giving his daughter to a fish. But surprisingly, the Gerudo gave a small nod of approval before waving Ghirahim over to serve as best man.

"I will tell you now, boy, I expect a great deal from you," Ganondorf began as the guests settled in. "You are a king in your own right, but you are also a man. You will be joining my family. That means that my daughter becomes your world. If I ever, and I mean EVER, find out that you made her cry, there won't be enough words to describe what I will do to you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir. But if I may?" Ralis took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Kira is already my life. I put her above everything, even you.... Your Majesty."

"Good." Ganondorf motioned toward the crowd, and as Ralis turned to look, his jaw dropped. Link and Fi were leading Kira up the aisle, the three of them beaming as brightly as the Light Spirits. Even Agahnim was thrilled, and babbled happily in his mother's arms.

Ralis originally thought Kira would wear something heavy in blues and purples, two of her favorite colors. Instead Kira wore pink and coral, in a dress patterned after the late Queen Rutela's fins. Her purple Gerudo circlet and the dragon scale he gave her for their engagement perfectly accented the outfit, and of course she wore her favorite coral earrings as a finishing touch.

Kira took her place next to Ralis, with Fi and Ghirahim serving as witnesses. Ganondorf pulled Link and Agahnim under his arm, as he began the ceremony.

"Guests from Hyrule, Ordon, and beyond... Roughly twenty years ago, a young man was pulled from the safety of his childhood and thrust into a world of war. His mother was taken from him and he nearly lost his life trying to save his people from the same fate. He was saved from death by an Ordonian with the eyes of a noble beast, and over the years came to view that Ordonian as a surrogate parent.

"Years pass and the Ordonian starts a family, giving birth to a wide eyed little girl with sunset hair. Inheriting her mother's innocence, the little girl makes friends with all she meets. One day she meets a man different from her, a Zora with her same green eyes. The two make friends despite their difference in age, and the little girl grows up admiring her aquatic companion.

"Of course, their growing affection faces obstacles. The man is a king and must provide for his people. His governors demand heirs to continue the prosperity of the line. The girl is but a child, twelve years younger. She is a princess but she is mixed blood, a different species. Her father is stubborn and prejudiced. It is not a match meant to be.

"But these two, they have endured the backlash against their love. He is not bothered by their age difference and will wait as long as he needs to. She is not concerned with matters of heirs or purity. Their dedication to one another has convinced those around them. The Zoras accept and await their human queen. And the Gerudo, as much as their king may grumble, he looks forward to his eventual 'fishy grandchildren'. ...I give the two of you my consent to marry. Ralis, King of the Zora, we welcome you to our family as the husband of Kira Lilly Dragmire."

Kira cheered and pounced on Ralis, who barely managed to keep from falling over. Ghirahim and Fi produced the rings, gifts hand crafted by Ganondorf himself. Ralis and Kira slipped them on each other's fingers, then shared their first kiss as newlyweds.

Of course Link started crying, and handed the baby off to Ganondorf. Zelda and Ilia sniffled with Link, while Midna and Kona cheered at the top of their lungs. The rest of the crowd offered their tidings to Aveil and Ralis's advisors. No one seemed to mind that the best man grabbed the maid of honor and pulled her aside.

"Um... Fi?" Ghirahim kicked at the dirt to avoid eye contact. "I just want to say... youlookverybeautifultoday."

Fi was stunned, and barely had time to process what was said before Ghirahim pulled her close and kissed her cheek. He then turned and dashed away, leaving her bewildered. Fi looked around but couldn't see him, instead making eye contact with her father. He sighed and shook his head, motioning for her to join her mother.

"Agahnim, I don't care who you fall in love with," Ganondorf mumbled to his sleeping son, after watching the display of affection. "Just make sure you grow up first. All this puppy love is turning me gray."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, what you've all been waiting for! 
> 
> Laruto looks exactly like her namesake, except she has toes, green eyes, and blonde hair. The way I figure it, rules of biology take a vacation in Hyrule. XD I thought the framing device would be funny, and I wanted to incorporate something from Wind Waker into the story. That and I love the parallel between pouting 5 year old Kira and pouting 5 year old Laruto.
> 
> Zelda's baby daddy is another character from Twilight Princess. Can you guess who? ;) Let's assume Zelda is part Sheikah, so Vaati will look like himself. I'm introducing him here because I have plans. He's going to have a BFF, perhaps even more than a BFF in the future.
> 
> (PS: I went back and added Marin into Laruto's drawing, since she wasn't around when I originally wrote this chapter!)


	14. Like Father, Like Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the third Dragmire child... :)

"Papa, Papa! What's a 'sunburnt mop?'"

Ganondorf shot up from his papers with a confused look on his face. On the other side of his desk, his six year old son stood and played with his sleeves. The little boy repeated his question, and looked to his father for answers.

"A 'sunburnt mop'? Child, what have you been getting into now?" Ganondorf came around and picked his little boy up. He rubbed Agahnim's head as he answered, "I know you know what a mop is, so surely you understand why it can't be affected by the sun like you or I can."

Agahnim fiddled with his hair, trying to put it back in place. "But Papa, I was talkin' to Kona, and she said I'm lucky I look like Mama because you looked like a sunburnt mop as a child."

The king nearly dropped his son from surprise. "WHAT?"

The freckled little boy hung his head and pouted. "Yeah, um, I was askin' Kona how come I don't look like you. Vio and Vaati look like their dads, and I really wanna be like you when I'm older... Kira looks like you..."

Ganondorf sighed. Agahnim looked very much like a Gerudo, with his golden eyes, tanned skin, and reddish orange hair. But when it came to resembling his parents, Agahnim was a clone of Link. He had her ears, her fine hair, her chubby cheeks, and the same slender nose. The only obvious trait he inherited from Ganondorf was his fingernail color.

"Agahnim, my son, do not despair," he said as he sat them both on the desk. "You are every bit my child, even if you don't have the same features as I do."

"Then why don't I look like you?"

"Genetics are complicated," Ganondorf began. "It's like pulling a card from the deck. You know what colors and suits are inside, but you can't be sure what you have until you turn your cards over."

The young prince seemed to understand his father's explanation. "So you're saying Kira got more of your cards than I did? What about Fi? She doesn't look too much like Mama, but she doesn't look a lot like you either."

Ganondorf scratched his beard. "I didn't say it has to be one or the other. Fi has a mix of features. Her mother's hair and eyes, my facial structure, her own unique colors... Anyway, we're getting away from my original point. You may not look like it now, but you will definitely resemble me when you are older. I was small as a child, shorter than Kona and Aveil. But once I hit my teens, I grew faster than a magic bean."

"Oh yeah, Kona mentioned that! She said you were a scrawny bean pole until they kicked you out and made you live in the Spirit Temple."

The king's eyes narrowed. Kona was going to get it the next time he saw her.

"She also said you were teeny tiny as a baby. You used to like playing hide and seek but would usually get lost or stuck and would cry and someone would have to get you out. But then she said that you were very brave when anyone else got hurt. When you were seven you ran the whole way from the Spirit Temple to the fortress by yourself to get help because Aveil had gotten bit by a poisonous worm. You were afraid that she wouldn't make it, so you ran through the wasteland without trying to find a poe guide. Kona said I remind her of that little boy."

"Is that so?" Perhaps he wouldn't need revenge on her after all. "Agahnim my son, you're small and cute. A lot of little boys don't like being cute, you know why? Because they think cute is bad. Well, they're wrong. I wish I could have been as cute as you are when I was six. You may not yet resemble me on the outside as much as your sisters do, but that's not a bad thing because you resemble me on the inside. Just don't go climbing up walls you shouldn't and you won't end up with a giant scar on your arm like I did when I was six."

"Umm..."

That was when Ganondorf noticed an increase in the rate at which Agahnim pulled at his sleeves. "Tell me you didn't..."

"Not on purpose..." Agahnim mumbled as Ganondorf hiked up the little boy's sleeves. Sure enough, his left arm was heavily bandaged and his right was covered in scrapes. He was understandably alarmed.

"In the name of the Golden Goddesses! When did this happen?"

"This morning... After swordplay with you and history with Mama, I went outside and was flying my kite when it got stuck on the edge of the courtyard wall spikeys. I knew not to climb up the wall and walked up the stairs, but couldn't reach it from the walkway so I had to crawl out on the ledge. Then I fell down. Kona saw me fall and wrapped my arms up, then said I was 'my father's son'. What's that mean?"

"It means we need to go clean you up before your mother finds out," he said, scooping Agahnim up and heading straight for the doctor's quarters. He smiled as he watched his son fidget, and knew more than anyone that this kid would get his wish. He was definitely his father's son, even if he only resembled his mother in the meantime.


	15. You Tell Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agahnim overhears Kira and Ralis in the pantry, arguing over who should be the one to tell Ganondorf some potentially upsetting news. Agahnim volunteers, but then he finds out what he's volunteered for...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!

"You tell him."

"What?! He's your father, you tell him!"

"I can't, I'll get too emotional..."

"Emotional? What about when he KILLS ME after I tell him?!"

Young Agahnim came wandering into the pantry, looking for a quick snack, when he accidentally walked into a conversation between his oldest sister and her Zoran husband. From the looks on their faces, it was a rather intense subject.

"Papa won't kill you."

"Yes he will! Don't you remember how much work it was just to get him to stop growling every time I kissed you in public?"

"Please, just tell him."

"...I'll tell him!"

Kira and Ralis stopped their bickering and turned to their little eavesdropper, who was smiling up at them while chomping on a loaf of bread. "...What am I telling him?"

"Agahnim? When did you come in?" Kira asked, quickly taking the loaf away from him and replacing it with a much healthier carrot stick. "You know it's not nice to listen in on other people's conversations."

"What all did you hear?" Ralis asked in panic, before being shushed by Kira.

"Just you two fighting over who should tell Papa somfin," he answered. "Maybe you should tell Mama instead. She doesn't get as mad as he does, and maybe she'll tell Papa for you."

"Little dude's got a point," Ralis said. "Let's tell Link instead."

"I already told Mama, and she said we need to tell Papa in person," Kira replied. "Besides, he does deserve to hear it straight from us."

"Great. Just let me get my final affairs in order before my execution, then," Ralis cringed, as Kira sighed.

Agahnim, oblivious to the situation, started to get worried and clung to Ralis's leg. "Papa's not really gonna kill you, right Uncle Rally...?"

"Oh, for Farore's sake! Look what you did," Kira grumbled at her husband, scooping up her sniffling baby brother. "No, Agahnim, Papa isn't going to kill Ralis, we didn't do anything wrong." She then sat him down on the table, and knelt to eye level. "You know how Ralis is your uncle? Well, you're going to be an uncle too! I'm going to have a baby!"

"Huh?" Agahnim stopped sniffling, and stared at Kira. "You're gonna... be a mommy?"

"That's right, a few seasons from now," she answered.

"And Papa's gonna be mad?"

"No, he loves his babies and I know he'll love his grandbabies just as much," she said, picking him back up. "Come on, Ralis, let's just go get it over with."

Kira and Ralis marched out of the pantry toward Ganondorf's study, Agahnim holding tightly around Kira's neck. When they arrived the door was slightly ajar, the usual sign for "come in", so they gathered their wits and entered.

"Papa? Ralis and I would like to speak with you..." Kira announced as she tiptoed in, relieved to see her mother sitting on the edge of the desk.

Ganondorf sat the stack of letters and reports he was working on aside when he heard the door opening. Link had come to tell him that Kira had something very important she wanted to discuss with him, and that she hoped he would be on his best behavior, whatever that meant.

"Yes, come in!" he bellowed, and motioned to the chairs in front of the desk. He was slightly alarmed when he saw Agahnim clinging to Kira's neck; the seven year old was small and clumsy for his age, much like he was, and Ganondorf worried that Agahnim was afraid of coming to him for help.

"Is something the matter? Is Agahnim hurt?"

"Oh no," Kira answered, handing him off to Link. "Actually, Ralis and I have something we wanted to tell you..."

"Please don't kill them!" Agahnim suddenly burst out, burying his face in Link's chest and startling Ganondorf.

"What? Me, kill my children?! Son, what are you talking about? Link, Kira, what is going on here...?" Ganondorf stood from his chair in alarm, as Link comforted their son.

Deciding to call forth her mother's courage, Kira grabbed her husband's hand and took a deep breath. "Papa... I'm pregnant. That's what's going on. Ralis and I are having a baby. Agahnim overheard the two of us trying to decide who should tell you, and Ralis thought that you wouldn't take it too well coming from him. That's why Agahnim got scared, he thought you would really hurt us."

Ganondorf stood still, his stone face making the whole room uneasy. After a few moments of silence, he came out from behind the desk and stood in front of Ralis. "...Congratulations are in order, then," he said, and extended his hand. Kira sighed in relief as they shook hands, and turned to Link and Agahnim for a hug. While she was turned, he used the opportunity to give Ralis a stern glare that he won't soon forget.

Later that night after tucking Agahnim in and retiring, Link relayed the boy's concerns to Ganondorf. "The poor thing, he was really scared that you were going to kill Ralis."

"This whole situation could have been avoided if you had just told me yourself in the first place," he snorted as he removed his robes.

"No, Kira needed to tell you on her own," Link retorted. "Besides, remember all that 'Gerudo having children as young as fifteen' stuff? She'll be twenty five, and they've been married for seven years. I mean, it's not like it's Fi that's pregnant..."

Ganondorf suddenly got blue in the face, and immediately threw his robe back on.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to check on Fi," he growled, and stomped out of the bedroom.


	16. Socially Awkward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Agahnim has had no luck making friends throughout his childhood, and now into his teen years has unfortunately become a loner. But one day after a rough class, a kind raven haired girl approaches him...

"Now class, I want you to write a small essay on the six basic tenants of war. You have ten minutes. Begin."

Fourteen year old Agahnim sat squirming at his desk, hyper aware of the snickers and stares directed his way. Was it that obvious that he couldn't remember all six? He loved reading and practiced his magic every day, but when it came to war, he blanked out. The other students in the ten pupil class were busy writing away, and some had finished. They were mostly children of nobles and officers, and received their education in the classroom instead of out in the field.

"Hey, I'll betcha Agahnim wishes he could just ask his _daddy_ to write the essay for him," one of the other students said, just loud enough for Agahnim to hear. Agahnim bowed his head and shied away; it was Ganondorf's idea to have his son attend public classes, as an attempt to help alleviate his awkwardness. But more often than not the other boys picked on Agahnim, mocking him for his interest in embroidery or his strong resemblance to Link. There were many times when Agahnim wanted to drop out of classes because of this, but feared doing so would disappoint his family. So he kept at it, hoping each morning the other kids in class would wake up with the flu or cuccoopox.

"Master Agahnim, what is this?" Agahnim looked up from his thoughts to find Professor Bremen standing in front of his desk, staring at his paper. "Already five minutes have passed, and you have but 'water' and 'spirit' written on your paper. Have you no idea what you are to be writing about?"

"Umm... I think light is another one?"

The rest of the class burst into laughter, though the professor quickly shushed them. "Master Agahnim, we are discussing the tenants of war, not the six sages of Hyrule. If you do not know the subject, there is no use in you writing the essay. The rest of you turn your papers in, then you may leave for the day."

Agahnim watched as the other children turned in their papers and left, then miserably gathered up his things and stared out the window. He always waited until the professor left, just to give himself a buffer in case one of the kids decided to play bully and wait around for him after class. It was always better if the professor chased them off than if he called for a guard, because then he'd just be mocked by both the kid and the guard who had to save him.

Today though, there was actually someone waiting to speak with him as he left. One of the other students, a girl with long dark hair and soft ruby eyes, stood by the door with a pile of books in her arms. She also had a folded letter tucked between her fingers.

"Umm, sorry for startling you, but... I wrote them down for you..." She motioned with her arms, until Agahnim got the hint and took the letter. "'Be swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as fire, as unmovable as a mountain, as bewildering as the shadow, and as unpredictable as a bolt of lightening.'"

"That's funny, because the forest is anything but silent," Agahnim mused, then stepped forward and took the books from her. "You were going to drop them."

"Oh, thank you... It's understandable that you got the tenants mixed up with the sages. There's a wind sage and an earth sage that don't get mentioned with the six, plus the seventh who binds them together. Then sometimes people say there are seven sages with an eighth that binds them together..."

Agahnim listened to the girl ramble, and followed her as she led him out of the classroom, through the university, and into the courtyard that connected the university to the castle. The girl then led him straight into the castle library, all the while talking to him about sages and wise men.

"So, I guess I should call you Master Agahnim, being the prince and all," she mumbled, wandering over to a table near the study area. "Are you part of any royal bloodlines? I know your father started the Dragmire line, so you are not part of the Nohansen line and thus not related to the sages of old..."

"Well, you are right about the Dragmire line, but my mother is the Hero of Time's great grandaughter. There's also a high likelihood that my grandmother Kirala was descended from the Kokiri, as is my aunt Uli, because Ordonians are spiritually linked to the forest children. I could be related to a sage. And it's a big secret but I'm also a quarter Sheikah..."

The girl interrupted Agahnim, "I'm sorry, 'Hero of Time'? I've never heard the legendary hero called that before."

"Oh, I guess you wouldn't know about that," Agahnim admitted. "Sorry, my mama and I have been spending a lot of time in the Sacred Grove learning about my great great grandfather. You see, it's a little gruesome but my mama met him."

"Ew!" The girl was strangely interested, and plopped down at a vacant table. "Was he all bones? Could he talk?"

"He was a specter, and haunted the world because he regretted not being able to pass on his skills," Agahnim explained, sitting across from her. "At least, that's what he told Mama. She told me that the real reason he remained here is because he didn't receive the recognition and praise he thought he deserved after saving two kingdoms."

Agahnim used the girl's books as props to illustrate his story. "He was a child when he was thrust into war, and forced to travel forward and backward through time to save Hyrule. Then when it was over, they sent him back to the beginning, effectively erasing everything he had done. After that, he wandered into another kingdom and had to relive the same three days over and over to break a curse. Then when it was done, no one else knew what really happened. He ended up taking his regrets to his grave, and couldn't pass on."

"How did you and your mother find this all out?"

"He apparently told my great great grandmother, because Mama ended up discovering a journal. His wife loved him very much but thought some of his stories were delusions, though she recorded them just in case they turned out not to be. They found the journal buried in a box out at Mama's old ranch. Dunno why it would have been out there..."

"I do."

Agahnim and his school mate turned around to see Princess Zelda smiling warmly, with a tray of snacks in her hands. "Mind if I join you two?"

"Not at all, Your Highness," Agahnim answered, standing and motioning to the empty bench beside him. "Please..."

Zelda served the snacks and took her seat, then turned to the girl. "Hilda, making friends already? I'm so glad. Agahnim, has Hilda introduced herself to you?"

"Well, not really," the girl admitted. "We've just been talking about sages and stuff..."

"Hilda, you know better," Zelda lightly scolded, before turning to Agahnim. "Agahnim, this is Hilda, my little cousin. Unfortunately her parents have passed, so Shad and I will be taking care of her from now on. I'm glad you've made friends with her, Agahnim, she'll need someone to show her how things are done around here."

"Yes, Your Highness, I understand. Nice to meet you, Hilda," Agahnim said with a bow.

Zelda smiled warmly, then returned to the discussion at hand. "Now, about that journal... Your grandmother was Ordonian, but your grandfather who carried the hero's blood came from Kakariko, correct? So why would a journal chronicling your hero ancestor's life be buried in Ordonia?"

"I don't know why," Agahnim answered.

"Because Ordon Ranch was once a Lon Lon Ranch," she answered. "Ask Fado, the owner. He can probably trace the records back to the founder. It would make sense, especially now that we know the Temple of Time the Queen has been visiting is the same Temple of Time that my ancestor split the Triforce in. This is one of Shad's favorite subjects, you see, so I helped him research it."

"Princess Zelda is so wise," Hilda said, so shy and childlike that Agahnim almost forgot she was the same age as him.

"Sage theory is Hilda's favorite subject," Zelda advised Agahnim. "Shad and I have started making lists of books and classes that might interest her. Perhaps the next time you and your mother take a trip to the Sacred Grove, you could invite Hilda along?"

"Of course! We'd love the company." Agahnim turned and smiled at Hilda, and was relieved to see her smiling back. He didn't have any real friends apart from Zelda's son Vaati, and was worried that he'd fail if he tried to make one. Though with Hilda, he appeared to have succeeded without even trying. "Would you like to come with us next time, Hilda?"

"I'd love to...!"

"How kind of you," Zelda said, and stood from her chair. "Now if you two will excuse me, I have a council meeting with your father, Agahnim. The Goddesses have been good to us lately, hopefully it will go smoothly..."

"Be careful, Your Highness," Agahnim warned with a smile on his face. "Papa was going to babysit Laruto this morning while Kira and Ralis took a trip to the Spirit's Spring. Six year olds aren't too good at keeping secrets, so Papa may or may not already know there's another Zoran Dragmire on the way."

Zelda's eyes went wide for a split second, before she burst into laughter. "Oh my, thank you for the warning! I shall have to make sure I seat myself between Ganondorf and Ralis so the king doesn't grip the poor lad's shoulder to powder. Fourteen years of marriage and he still guards Kira like a treasure chest. Is he that overprotective of Fi?"

"Strangely no," he replied. "I guess he just implicitly trusts Ghirahim to keep his hands off her. From what I heard, Papa and Ghira had a 'long talk' a while ago and now they're best buds. Besides, I'll bet Ghirahim is more afraid of what Midna would do to him anyway than what Papa would do to him if harm came to Fi. Aunt Midna is scary."

"No argument there," Zelda shrugged, and stood to leave. "Hilda, why don't you tell Agahnim about the time you visited the Twilight realm and saw Vio knock the bookshelves over in the Twilight Hall of Scholars?"

Hilda shuddered. "Queen Midna was real mad, she started shouting and..."

From over on the walkway in the central hall, Link leaned against the railing and watched as her shy son lit up with laughter alongside his new friend. "Aww, I just knew he would find someone to talk with eventually. And she's so cute, too. Look at her..."

The Gerudo king sighed, and turned his attention from the little Zora picking at his headdress to the two teens chatting across the hall. "...You are not bothered by her raven hair and gloomy appearance?"

"Don't be racist, she's a beautiful girl," Link scolded, taking Laruto down from Ganondorf's shoulders. "And you'd be gloomy too if your family died from a preventable illness. Now give me and Laruto kisses before your meeting."

"Kissies!"

Ganondorf answered Link and Laruto with one kiss each, then set off for his meeting. Truth be told, he couldn't be more proud of his son for finally making a friend on his own. And gloomy or not, Hilda was a perfect match for his wise little boy. "The Goddesses have granted me my desires, but they torture me with grandchildren and puppy love," he mumbled with a grin, and strode confidently down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all this time, I think I failed to mention that the Ganondorf in this story isn't exactly the same Ganondorf as in Ocarina of Time. Oops. :x Suspend disbelief if you will, and imagine that my Ganondorf was imprisoned while he was relatively young (let's say twenty) and spent ten years in the twilight. But to him, those ten years felt like a hundred, and while there he picked up the knowledge and skill of the Gerudo and Sheikah who were banished before him.
> 
> Truth be told when I first played Twilight Princess, I never picked up on the idea that this was supposed to be Ocarina Ganondorf, or that the Hero's Shade was Ocarina Link. ^^;


	17. Bruises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place early in the story between "Escape" and "Baby Goats", and I'm going to say shortly after Link revealed her secret to Ilia, Rusl, and Colin. One of these days I'm going to fix the "Baby Goats" chapter so it's not a flashback mess...

A thundercloud crackled outside the open window of the bedroom currently occupied by hero of Hyrule, forcing the barely recovered girl to stumble out of bed and pull it closed. Link had been enjoying her sleep, as it was the one realm where Ganondorf could not intrude. She didn't have a problem with him, but rather his little rehabilitation regimen.

After pulling the window shut, Link stayed for a moment and stared out at the crowd down below in Castle Town, hurrying to find cover from the impending downpour. They looked so determined, so happy... Link turned to the vanity mirror up against the wall.

Sitting down in front of the glass, Link stared at her reflection. She looked so thin, so worn out. Her skin was pale, and thus any bruises she sported stood out as dark blooms against her pink flesh. One such bruise was peeking out from the collar of her nightgown, and as Link noticed it she quickly grabbed her collar and pulled it up, covering the mark and turning her head in shame as the memory of Ganondorf's advance came back to her.

Ganondorf was the source of most of her bruises, but he wasn't giving them to her in ways to which she was accustomed. Link knew what it was like to wrestle Gorons, chase bokoblins and bulblins on horseback, even to fall off the back of a dragon hundreds of feet in the air. These things hurt and they left bruises. But Ganondorf, he was strange. He would massage her shoulders, and while doing so lean in and suck on her earlobe. The next day, she'd be left rubbing a bruised ear, wondering why it didn't hurt despite the marking.

_Maybe I'm the one who's strange_ , Link thought as she looked back up into the mirror. _This is romance, right? I don't even know how to be a girl, let alone what real romance is._ She looked around the vanity to see if there were any trinkets she could use to enhance her dull and boyish appearance, when she saw something glinting in one of the drawers. Pulling it out, she realized it was Princess Zelda's tiara from before she was made regent.

Link studied the tiara as she held it in her hands. It was beautiful silver, with the band made to look like vines winding out from a deep blue lapis lazuli gem. It was quite the contrast to the crown she wore as regent, which resembled a chain of golden leaves. Link turned the tiara a few times in her hands, before slowly placing it atop her own head.

"...Now that looks far better than it could have ever looked on Zelda."

Startled, Link nearly fell back from her chair as Ganondorf entered the room. He crossed swiftly and knelt down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and steadying her in her chair. As he looked at Link a warm smile came over his face, and he reached out and curled a finger in a loose strand of her hair.

"I shall have to have a circlet made for you in the green of Courage, for while that blue complements your eyes, we both know green is your color," Ganondorf purred as he ran his fingers along Link's cheek. "That tiara looks as if it always belonged upon your head."

Link cocked her head, unsure of his meaning. She never wore jewelry before, so while she thought it was pretty, it looked out of place to her. "I... don't understand."

Ganondorf chuckled, then grabbed his stool from the corner and sat behind Link as he gathered her hair into his hands. "You have beauty befitting the members of your royal family," he began, setting the tiara to the side and slowly brushing through Link's messy golden hair. "I've studied the Nohansens, they are known for their long ears, thin clear skin, and fair hair. This current Zelda is the first in a long while to have such dark locks. You on the other hand, have vivid golden hair, long pointed ears, and pink pale skin that dare I say mimics the goddess Hylia herself."

Finished with brushing, Ganondorf tied Link's hair into a small braid and gingerly replaced the tiara on her head. "What I meant earlier was that you are destined for more than just a life of sacrifice as the Hero of Light, Link. You deserve a life of luxury and rest, and dare I say it, you're the princess to my king."

Link's eyes widened as she stared at Ganondorf's reflection in the mirror. "Huh?"

"What I mean is that I want you to become the hope for your people, much like Zelda once was," he explained. "I am going to rehabilitate you into a wonderful and strong young woman, and teach you skills to make you even more formidable a warrior than you are now. You can then take what you have and use it to inspire the citizens."

"...Why?"

"Why?" The king smirked, and leaned closer. "Is it not obvious?"

Link bit her bottom lip in discouragement, and bowed her head. He could have anyone he wanted, and yet he fancied the scrambled up farmhand who lost spectacularly to him in battle. He literally wiped the throne room floor with her when they were in their beast forms, and now he wants her to be like a princess.

"...Maybe I need to show you." Ganondorf removed his circlet and touched their foreheads together, massaging behind Link's ears to ease her anxiety. She closed her eyes, and as she did so, he leaned in and pressed feather light kisses to her cheek. After he finished, Link laid her head on his shoulder in a daze.

The Gerudo king smiled at the action, as it left a clear view of the dark bruise peeking out from her collar. He scooped Link from her chair onto his lap, then turned his head and pressed a kiss to the dark bloom on her neck. "Do you understand what this is, Link?"

"...Bruise," she mumbled, hoping to hide that she really didn't understand the mark.

"No, not exactly. It's a love bite, something that lovers give to one another as a physical reminder of the way they feel. When I did this to you, it was during the heat of passion, so it turned out rather large. Have you noticed the others I've given you? They disappear quite quickly, as they aren't as intense. But the feeling is still there, no matter the size. These bruises are not the same as those you receive in battle, so you need not be ashamed of them. These mean that someone loves you, enough to let others know they can't have you."

Link curled against Ganondorf, rather confused. He was marking her so no one else would take her away from him? But who else would even want her, after all her failures?

"Hey." Link looked back up at Ganondorf, who was raising his eyebrow. "I know that pout. You're disappearing into your rotten pumpkinhead again, digging up all that I've been trying to bury, aren't you?" He bonked on her pate, the surprised grimace she returned making him chuckle. "Remember what I've been teaching you. It doesn't matter that you were raised as a boy, or that you lost to me in battle. You are a worthy person, and people need to respect that. You are not a failure, you are a hero. And you are beautiful."

"Huh?" Link started to question Ganondorf's admission, when he suddenly clamped down on the opposite side of her neck. He was a little more gentle this time, but his actions caught her so off guard that she actually moaned and dug her hands into his hair.

"Your heart is racing," Ganondorf murmured as he finished, pressing a kiss to Link's pulse point before detaching her hands from his head and leaning back. "Do not worry, we shall proceed no further today. I can tell you have a lot on your mind to absorb, and love is not something to rush along. Take as much time as you need, for you are certainly worth waiting for."

Link remained silent as Ganondorf helped her back into her chair, though she did crack a smile as he kissed her hand farewell. "I'll have your lunch sent up for you, you may use the day for rest."

After he departed, Link turned back to the mirror. The reflection staring back at her was still pale and thin, but perhaps there really was a respectable young woman hidden beneath all that misery and self doubt...

Her spirit lifted, Link ran over to the wardrobe and grabbed one of the dresses that Ganondorf had given her as part of her rehabilitation. She emerged from the bathroom just as Aveil arrived with her meal.

Aveil saw Link in the raspberry dress and smiled. "Oh, you look wonderful in that outfit, Miss Link. It makes your hair stand out."

"Um..." Link pointed at the lunch tray and mumbled, "do you think... um... he... together?"

The Gerudo tilted her head for a moment, before suddenly understanding. "He would be honored," she answered with a smile, and led Link toward the King's Study.

Link hurried along, eager to give this 'respectable young woman' thing a try. She had a tough critic, but if he believed in her, then she had nothing to lose by believing in herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may remember a line in the original story, where Link said that Ganondorf had never kissed her before "the big one". Technically that is still true, he didn't kiss her on the lips. :p I will eventually move this chapter to its proper place in the story, but for now it's the last chapter just because it's the most recently written.
> 
> I've also been working on another female Link story, this time in the Ocarina of Time universe. Except that story will be about Link and Sheik, and what happens when two dorks fall in love, goof around, and forget what happens when you goof around... :x


	18. Doggie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in Year 25, a few weeks after "Like Father, Like Son".
> 
> Also, if you're a little confused as to who the little rascal you will soon meet is, you may want to skip ahead to the third entry in the series, "Ganondorf's Diary", and read part 3. :3 The thing is, all three parts are supposed to be one story, but I can't merge them without losing all their feedback data. :( So a few things are out of order.

Ganondorf strode down the hallway of Hyrule Castle, nose deep in a status report. The Gerudo Valley had been low on resources lately, and he was working with Ralis to divert as much water to the region as possible. He had just gotten to the results of that endeavor, when he thought he heard a giggle from behind. However, there was nothing but an empty hallway greeting him when he turned around.

He hadn't made it more than twenty steps before the giggle came again, and this time there was a swoosh of curtain as he turned to check. A grin coming to his face, the Gerudo king tiptoed over to the large drapery and was just about to peek behind, when he was suddenly tackled to the floor by a huge red and white wolf. His little pumpkin was sitting on its back.

"Papa, I found a doggie! Her name's Puffball."

"Marin, this isn't a dog, it's a bear!" Ganondorf shimmied out from under the huge furry creature his daughter had managed to wrangle, and sat up to inspect it. Perhaps it was a dog, it was certainly sticking out its tongue and wagging its tail like one. On the other hand, it was bigger than Link's wolf form, had a thick weatherproof coat, and paws that could handle all kinds of terrain. Not to mention the teeth. "Where did you find this... creature?"

"She found me!" the little four year old yipped with glee, hopping on the dog's back and burying her face in its fur. "She says she's gonna protect me."

Getting to his feet, Ganondorf moved to remove his youngest from the animal's back, but was interrupted by a vicious growl. Marin mimicked the growl, before bursting with giggles.

"No, Papa, Puffball stays! She's our new pet."

"Marin, this is nonsense." The doting father seldom scolded his little miracle baby, but he was having a very difficult time with this latest request. "...What about Fi's cat?"

"Puffball won't eat Mews," Marin answered with a nod, completely missing the point of his question. "Asides, Puffball says she'll protect Mama, too. Cuz her grampa told her to."

"Grampa?" Ganondorf thought back to Link's tales of the Hero's Spirit, and how he took the form of a golden wolf to aid her in the fight against Zant. Maybe Link needed to meet this 'Puffball' herself. "...Alright, we'll go see what Mama has to say about the 'doggie' first."

It took a little bit, but they finally tracked Link down in the courtyard, watching Agahnim as he flew his kite. There would be no more injuries due to stuck leads on the courtyard wall, she'd make sure of that. Puffball dashed forward as soon as Link came in view, alarming Ganondorf and causing him to give chase.

Link heard a commotion approaching and turned her head, finding the most curious sight she'd seen since the first time she came to Hyrule. A furry creature carrying her baby on its back was galloping toward her, with her large Gerudo husband charging behind in a panic.

"Mommy, I found a puppy!"

"Link, get down! That thing will tackle you!"

Shaking her head at such nonsense, Link crouched down as the giant dog heeled in front of her and licked her face. "Aww! What a nice puppy!" Giggling, she fluffed its face and scratched its ears as Marin jumped off its back. "Where did this puppy come from, Marin?"

"Um..." Marin swayed back and forth as Ganondorf approached and crossed his arms, his own earlier attempt at wringing that answer from her unsuccessful. Marin chewed her lip for a moment before suddenly jumping into her mother's lap, and proceeded to bury her face in Link's chest.

Ganondorf sighed, before running a hand through his hair. "She was playing in the graveyard again, wasn't she?" He had a strong dislike of the place, and wouldn't go near it. He especially didn't want the children doing so, either. "I don't think a little child should be playing around in the resting place of the dead. What if you get cursed?"

"I was just sitting under the big tree, dats all," Marin mumbled from her mother's lap, perking up when Puffball nuzzled into her tummy. "Den Puffball came over and said she was here to protect me. She even scared away some big rats who were gonna bite me."

"The big tree, did you say?" Link smoothed her baby's hair, then looked to the dog. "That's the tree my great grandfather is buried beneath. Maybe it's a sign that your puppy pal came to you while you were sitting under that tree."

"She did say the beast was under orders from the Hero to protect the two of you," Ganondorf murmured. "That's why we-"

"PAPA!" Marin turned to her father, a strong pout on her face. "Puffball is NOT a beast, she's a fluffy puppy!" A puppy the size of a wolf, perhaps, but from the way the dog was acting it was clear this animal was no threat to the children. When Agahnim came over to investigate the giant furball, he even got some sloppy kisses for his trouble.

Link smiled at the children as they played tag with the dog, and leaned against her husband. "It looks like we have a new member of the family..."

"That enormous thing?! You can't be serious, it will eat our poor babies when we're not looking! Did you see the size of its paws and teeth?"

"It's just an arctic dog," Link clarified, teasing Ganondorf with a poke in the ribs. "I saw them when I visited Snowpeak with Rusl. They're not wolves, just big, furry dogs that pull carts and freight along the snow. She'll be a good companion for the children, and you can take her for a run in the mornings before they're awake."

Ganondorf made a face in disbelief, though it was quickly knocked off of him as Puffball and the children came over and tackled him to the ground. "Oh, Papa, thank you for letting us have a new pet," Agahnim cheered, while Marin howled alongside her new doggie guardian.

"And I suppose I'll be in charge of cleaning up after it, too?"

Link chuckled at Ganondorf's little protest, before crouching down beside Puffball and whispering into its ear. Puffball looked around for a moment, before letting out a bark.

"Puffball says she'll try her best to go only in the areas we tell her to," Link translated, to the surprise of her husband. "I'll take care of the rest, since you have so much to do."

Ganondorf sat up in disbelief. "You can understand that thing?"

"Of course I can, silly," Link answered with a laugh. "I _was_ turned into a wolf, if you recall. Where do you think our little baby got her gift from? Besides, can't you talk to pigs?"

"That's a misconception," Ganondorf snorted, causing Link to giggle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Puffball is a rather large and fluffy Malamute. She's mostly white, but has a little color along her back and points. GlamAngel3766 suggested a one-shot where they adopted a dog, and I thought it would be funnier if the dog adopted them. :3


End file.
